In a recent article published by 48 Minutes of Hell, Timothy Varner argues that the Spurs are not as good as their record indicates because the they were 21st in field goal defense and first in PPG allowed. He ties these two stats together to conclude that the Spurs are not solid defensively and are lucky to have the record that they do.
My main issue with this article is that it is pessimistic. 48 Minutes of Hell was recently chosen by ESPN as its local Spurs blog. (ESPN is selecting local blogs that focus on a single team so readers can enjoy more articles about their favorite NBA teams.) If I wanted to read something pessimistic about the Spurs, I would simply read what the ESPN analysts have to say. Shouldn’t a local blog about the Spurs be optimistic? It’s the first rule of writing; know you audience.
In addition, this article is inaccurate. The Spurs were without two of their three best players for long stretches early in the season. During this time, the Spurs lost a lot of games that they would have won if Tony and Manu had been healthy. So, in fact, the Spurs' record is actually understated.
Furthermore, with Tony and Manu out, of course the Spurs played worse on both ends of the floor and slowed the game down. I would argue that the games that Manu and Tony missed have skewed the data. This is why the Spurs were 21st in opposing field goal percentage and first in PPG. They slowed the game down and were playing with an inferior lineup. If Timothy Varner wanted to use accurate stats, he should have thrown out the games that Manu and Tony did not suit up for. He also should have thrown out the second game of back to backs, since there are no back to backs in the playoffs. And if he wanted to skew the data in the other direction, he should have ignored the first several games that Manu and Tony played in, since they were not playing their normal minutes and were rusty from the time off.
The article also references quotes from Popovich after a game in which they played poorly. Popovich tells the Spurs off at least once a year. It’s cyclical, seasonal, you could set your watch by it. He does this to fire up the team and get them to concentrate harder on the defensive end of the floor. It’s definitely not a reason to sound the alarm or something that should be used to support an argument.
So, why didn’t 48 minutes of Hell think of this? Maybe it’s because the author really doesn’t follow the Spurs all that closely.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Beer Pong: Dartmouth
Rick Reilly recently wrote an article for ESPN about what he calls ‘Beer Pong.’ I do not understand how you can write an article about pong and get it completely wrong. He should have begun his article with the history of pong. Pong was invented in the 1950’s at a small college in Hanover, New Hampshire. Legend has it that two fraternity brothers were playing an afternoon game of ping pong, while simultaneously drinking beers. One player put his beer down on the table to serve, the opposing player accidentally returned the shot into his beer and said, “Drink it.” And thus pong was born.
The game of pong with paddles is fairly simple. It’s basically ping pong, but instead of trying to get your opponent to miss, you are trying to sink his cups. The game consists of a series of rallies in which players hit the ball back and forth high into the air to give the ball a better chance of sinking the cup. Pong is played on a table the same size, or slightly bigger than a regulation ping pong table. Beruit is generally played on smaller, shorter tables. The standard small game of pong is played with 14 10 oz. cups of beer, 7 on each side of the table in a shrub formation. The larger standard game is played with 22 cups of beer, 11 on each side of the table in a shrub formation. Beer is never thrown out. If you cannot finish your beer, you must grab the nearest trashcan, pull the trigger and then consume the beer. The inevitable ‘boot and rally.’ If you think throwing a ball into a cup is difficult, try returning a spin serve high into the air so it lands in a cup that is 10 feet away while you are drunk. Pong requires good footwork and finesse. Athletes are generally pretty good at pong because of their superior hand-eye coordination.
Over time, Pong traveled to colleges across the United States and at some point lost the paddles. The game that does not involve paddles is called Beruit and requires far less skill and stamina. If you venture to Dartmouth for a weekend of fun, you will find that paddles are required if you want to play Pong. In fact, I’ve seen fights break out in fraternity basements at Dartmouth when unknowing visitors attempt to throw the ball. Pong is not just something to do at Dartmouth, it is the thing to do. If you walk into any fraternity or sorority basement at Dartmouth, you will find between four and ten pong tables, depending on the size of the basement. The Greek culture revolves around the world of Pong. Many house traditions were created based on Pong. For example, each house has their own rules for pong. The general rules are the same, but each house has subtle differences that they enforce and take immense pride in. At Psi U, you can bounce the ball off your chest to give yourself an easier shot. At Chi Gam, if the ball hits a cup you can ‘slam’ it back. At some houses the ball is playable off the ceiling, at others off the wall. If you get skunked, some houses will make you chug a large ladle of liquor.
Reilly attempts to make it seem tolerable that people sometimes play with water. Again, I’ve seen fights break out when people attempted to play with water instead of beer. That is not allowed. The only time Pong with water is acceptable is if it is played by underage freshman at a substance free dorm. Freshman have not logged the hours necessary to compete with the upper class men, so even if they somehow managed to get on a table, it is very unlikely that they will win to continue playing. This means that they cannot get drunk while playing Pong and will be reduced to playing dice with upper class men that are too drunk to play Pong competitively. For this reason, some freshmen choose to improve their skills during off time in their dorms with water. However, when I was a freshman, we had water on the tables just in case campus security showed up, and had the beer on the side where it would be chugged at the appropriate times. I suspect most freshman still do this. Because, it is a drinking game after all. And by definition, the point of a drinking game is to get drunk.
I could go on and on about Pong, but for now this will do. I just had to clarify Reilly’s inadequate description of Pong. To insult the game of Pong is to insult the life of a Dartmouth student.
The game of pong with paddles is fairly simple. It’s basically ping pong, but instead of trying to get your opponent to miss, you are trying to sink his cups. The game consists of a series of rallies in which players hit the ball back and forth high into the air to give the ball a better chance of sinking the cup. Pong is played on a table the same size, or slightly bigger than a regulation ping pong table. Beruit is generally played on smaller, shorter tables. The standard small game of pong is played with 14 10 oz. cups of beer, 7 on each side of the table in a shrub formation. The larger standard game is played with 22 cups of beer, 11 on each side of the table in a shrub formation. Beer is never thrown out. If you cannot finish your beer, you must grab the nearest trashcan, pull the trigger and then consume the beer. The inevitable ‘boot and rally.’ If you think throwing a ball into a cup is difficult, try returning a spin serve high into the air so it lands in a cup that is 10 feet away while you are drunk. Pong requires good footwork and finesse. Athletes are generally pretty good at pong because of their superior hand-eye coordination.
Over time, Pong traveled to colleges across the United States and at some point lost the paddles. The game that does not involve paddles is called Beruit and requires far less skill and stamina. If you venture to Dartmouth for a weekend of fun, you will find that paddles are required if you want to play Pong. In fact, I’ve seen fights break out in fraternity basements at Dartmouth when unknowing visitors attempt to throw the ball. Pong is not just something to do at Dartmouth, it is the thing to do. If you walk into any fraternity or sorority basement at Dartmouth, you will find between four and ten pong tables, depending on the size of the basement. The Greek culture revolves around the world of Pong. Many house traditions were created based on Pong. For example, each house has their own rules for pong. The general rules are the same, but each house has subtle differences that they enforce and take immense pride in. At Psi U, you can bounce the ball off your chest to give yourself an easier shot. At Chi Gam, if the ball hits a cup you can ‘slam’ it back. At some houses the ball is playable off the ceiling, at others off the wall. If you get skunked, some houses will make you chug a large ladle of liquor.
Reilly attempts to make it seem tolerable that people sometimes play with water. Again, I’ve seen fights break out when people attempted to play with water instead of beer. That is not allowed. The only time Pong with water is acceptable is if it is played by underage freshman at a substance free dorm. Freshman have not logged the hours necessary to compete with the upper class men, so even if they somehow managed to get on a table, it is very unlikely that they will win to continue playing. This means that they cannot get drunk while playing Pong and will be reduced to playing dice with upper class men that are too drunk to play Pong competitively. For this reason, some freshmen choose to improve their skills during off time in their dorms with water. However, when I was a freshman, we had water on the tables just in case campus security showed up, and had the beer on the side where it would be chugged at the appropriate times. I suspect most freshman still do this. Because, it is a drinking game after all. And by definition, the point of a drinking game is to get drunk.
I could go on and on about Pong, but for now this will do. I just had to clarify Reilly’s inadequate description of Pong. To insult the game of Pong is to insult the life of a Dartmouth student.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Spurs 92 @ Bulls 87 (I was there)
I spent the weekend in Chicago and attended this game. Going in, I had my doubts. The Spurs are never good in the tail end of back to back games and they were trounced the previous night in Philadelphia. Tony Parker, specifically, has looked awful in the back to backs, (which really doesn’t make any sense given that he is one of the youngest players on the team.) The 78-90 loss in Orlando after losing 83-90 to New Orleans comes to mind. Tony was 3-17 from the field for 9 points with 4 turnovers and only 4 assists. So, having to chase the standout rookie Derrick Rose seemed like a recipe for disaster. Also, after beating the Lakers in a truly fantastic 112-111 battle, the Spurs were due for an emotional letdown. My hope was that the loss to the Sixers would serve as a brief letdown and that the Spurs would rebound against the Bulls. Historically, the Spurs rebound very well after a loss, especially to one of that magnitude.
The United Center is substantially bigger than the AT&T Center. The United Center was not sold out and still posted an attendance upwards of 22,000, compared to a sold out AT&T center crowd of 18,675. Even so, I swear you could hear a pin drop for most of the game. Several times during the game I asked aloud, “Why is it so quiet in here?” but did not receive a response. By far the loudest spectator was the ice cream peddler whom you could hear from 4 sections over, “ICE CREAM!” It became the running joke of the night. If you were in a Chicago bar later that night and heard people randomly screaming, “ICE CREAM!” That was us.
The game was, as expected, an ugly one. The Spurs led for most of the game, but seemed to be half awake and could never maintain a lead. However, the Spurs managed to grind out a win. This is a game that gives me confidence. In ’99, ’03, ’05, and ’07, these are the kind of games the Spurs seemed to always win. It would be ugly, low scoring, and frustrating in that you knew the Spurs were the superior team, but they could never get any separation. But with the score close and two minutes remaining, the Spurs would always make a few big shots and get a few big stops for the win. They have won many of these types of games this season.
Chicago is a great city. If you have never been, you should definitely give it a try. Chicago is incredible because it is the third biggest city in the US, but still has that Midwestern, Southern mellow feel to it. People are not as crazy or hurried as they are in other big cities, like NYC. My good friend from Dartmouth, The Big Talc, currently resides in Chicago, which is why I made the trip. He basically took me on a tour of his favorite bars, (we hit 12 different bars in two nights.) My favorite was a place called the Hidden Sham. It was a multi-story bar that offered a great drink special in the basement. $3 Jameson Shots. Seriously? Any place that gets people to drink straight whiskey is cool in my book. (I am Texan, remember?)
The United Center is substantially bigger than the AT&T Center. The United Center was not sold out and still posted an attendance upwards of 22,000, compared to a sold out AT&T center crowd of 18,675. Even so, I swear you could hear a pin drop for most of the game. Several times during the game I asked aloud, “Why is it so quiet in here?” but did not receive a response. By far the loudest spectator was the ice cream peddler whom you could hear from 4 sections over, “ICE CREAM!” It became the running joke of the night. If you were in a Chicago bar later that night and heard people randomly screaming, “ICE CREAM!” That was us.
The game was, as expected, an ugly one. The Spurs led for most of the game, but seemed to be half awake and could never maintain a lead. However, the Spurs managed to grind out a win. This is a game that gives me confidence. In ’99, ’03, ’05, and ’07, these are the kind of games the Spurs seemed to always win. It would be ugly, low scoring, and frustrating in that you knew the Spurs were the superior team, but they could never get any separation. But with the score close and two minutes remaining, the Spurs would always make a few big shots and get a few big stops for the win. They have won many of these types of games this season.
Chicago is a great city. If you have never been, you should definitely give it a try. Chicago is incredible because it is the third biggest city in the US, but still has that Midwestern, Southern mellow feel to it. People are not as crazy or hurried as they are in other big cities, like NYC. My good friend from Dartmouth, The Big Talc, currently resides in Chicago, which is why I made the trip. He basically took me on a tour of his favorite bars, (we hit 12 different bars in two nights.) My favorite was a place called the Hidden Sham. It was a multi-story bar that offered a great drink special in the basement. $3 Jameson Shots. Seriously? Any place that gets people to drink straight whiskey is cool in my book. (I am Texan, remember?)
PLAYERS: Jacque Vaughn
(Editor’s Note: I wrote this mid-season of the ‘07-‘08 campaign. Everyone take a moment to thank the Basketball Gods for George Hill.)
Alright, let’s get this party started. Jacque Vaughn is an abomination on the basketball court. Jacque Vaughn is averaging 4.1 PPG, 1 RPG, 2.2 APG, and .72 TPG in 15 minutes. He is shooting 42.4% from the field. His numbers look horrible, but what they do not capture is how the opposing point guards fare when going head to head against Vaughn. (They destroy him.) They also do not reflect his momentum killing contributions. When Jacque enters a game, you can expect a turnover, two wide open missed shots, and Vaughn’s go-to move which consists of driving into the lane, realizing he’s a midget, and circling back out, thereby wasting 5-10 seconds off the shot clock. He is also prone to air-balling lay-ups. This is due to the fact that he is tiny, can’t jump, and is not quick. If he gets a step on a defender, the defender can recover in plenty of time to alter his shot. So why does Popovich insist upon playing Jacque? He has the wily veteran Damon Stoudemire rusting on the bench while Vaughn handicaps the team. I am of the opinion that when Popovich looks at Jacque Vaughn, he sees Avery Johnson. Jacque Vaughn is a poor man’s Avery Johnson. For his career, Avery averaged 8.4 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 5.5 APG and 1.6 TPG in 25 minutes. Compare those numbers to Jacque's listed above. If you take into consideration that Avery averaged 10 more minutes per game, their numbers are nearly identical. Seriously, it’s almost spooky. Both players are short, slow, and they can’t jump. Avery had a knack for finding the open man, which is why Jacque is a step below him. Jacque should be playing golf, not playing backup point guard for the defending champs. Jacque Vaughn makes my head hurt.
San Antonio Spurs Insight
This blog will consist of four different sections all of which will be periodically maintained: Players, Games, “48MinutesofHell” Rebuttals, and Random Insight. “Players” will provide insight upon the individual players of the Spurs. I will provide analysis and thoughts that you will not find anywhere else. “Games” will consist of recaps from Spurs games and if something noteworthy happens outside of a Spurs game, you will find it here. “48MinutesofHell” is the blog that ESPN’s TrueHoop has chosen to represent San Antonio. I find most of their posts inaccurate and will prove their pessimistic arguments inadequate in this section. “Random Insight” will contain general analysis of the Spurs and whatever else I feel like writing about. The ideas and analysis that you find on this blog will be highly original, at least that is the goal.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Sunday, August 31, 2008
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