Wednesday Bolts – 7.13.11
From Elias: “Nate Robinson told SLAM Magazine recently: “I might go play football, do something that nobody’s tried to do.” However, should Robinson play in the NFL, he would NOT be the first player to play a game in the NFL and NBA. According to ELIAS, at least 6 players played in both the NFL and NBA (or BAA), including Bud Grant, who played for the Lakers and then played in the NFL before gaining the most fame as head coach of the Vikings.”
Ben Golliver of CBSSports.com on Nate Robinson: “Does Robinson have a chance, or is this idle chatter? An NBA/NFL hybrid career is unprecedented in the modern era, made impossible because of their concurrent schedules. That said, elite athletes in the NBA are likely to be elite athletes in the NFL, given the similar demand for quickness, strength and agility. One would think the outside positions, wide receiver and cornerback, along with special teams would be the easiest places for a basketball-to-football transition to occur. And, at 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, Robinson is in the right ballpark to play corner and clearly has superior leaping ability, evidenced by his three NBA Slam Dunk crowns.”
Nazr Mohammed was talking some sense about how far-reaching the lockout can be.
The Thunder sent out a release yesterday saying half season packages were still available. If this lockout thing goes on, everything might be a half season package.
A note on the Thunder’s new practice floor: “The Thunder and Raptors have both chosen to install Robbins’ MVP flooring, which cuts down on muscle vibrations that can affect an athlete’s performance. Twenty-four of the 30 NBA teams compete or practice on Robbins flooring, according to a news release.”
My two favorite shows ever are The Wire and Breaking Bad. Chuck Klosterman put them head-to-head and decided a winner.
Ric Bucher of ESPN.com writes that there are downsides to playing overseas: “Here the stars run the show,” Childress says. “Over there it’s the coach, and the coach only. You really have to buy into the system. The style of play is slower, a lot closer to a college style. It’s a lot less reliant on talent and more on tactics and execution. They definitely have a high opinion of how they play the game and view NBA basketball as street ball. You go over there, you’re playing against everyone — other players, fans, referees, everyone. You don’t get calls because you’re stronger, faster and more athletic, so they think you should be able to take it.”
More interesting thoughts on the NBA’s TV deal from J.A. Sherman of Welcome to Loud City: “A final question that is as much philosophical as operational – is it better to give a team like the Nets the tools they need to succeed against a team like LA, or is it better to force them to figure it out for themselves, in a way that the Thunder have?”
The Bobcats laid off their radio play-by-play announcer for the duration of the lockout. Kelly Dwyer of BDL with great thoughts about that: “Now I know what you’re thinking. When there are no cars to build, there are no jobs to be had. When the crop freezes over, there are no jobs to be had. When the product isn’t there to refine, there are no jobs to be had. Without any games to call, there are no jobs to be had. Why pay the guy throughout that spell? Because that’s what you do, in this gilded area. That’s the good faith you engender amongst your employees in times both good and bad, especially when the owner presiding over these employees has been either up or down chips resembling someone like Lauer’s salary in either particularly good or bad months at the casino in the last year and a half since Michael Jordan has bought the Bobcats.”