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Tag: NBA

  • Mike Tyson’s Song To LeBron James Is Awfully Awesome

    Last night before the NBA Finals tipped, Jimmy Kimmel brought out Mike Tyson to sing a tribute song to LeBron James, and it’s about as incredible as you’d expect. Already known as supremely eloquent speaker, Tyson let the world know he also possesses a voice that was made for singing. All jokes aside–I don’t really want to piss Tyson off, either–it’s about what you’d expect. You have to admire Tyson and his efforts to put the negativity that followed him while he was boxing behind and as he continues to remake his image as a likable celebrity.

    The song, which leads, has some great lyrics–“Oh, LeBron James is great. He makes Cleveland irate…”–has one drawback: it’s entirely too short, clocking in at a little over a minute long. Hopefully, the next time Kimmel has Tyson on as a vocalist, he’ll give him some more time to perform. Tyson’s groundbreaking performance didn’t escape the notice of Twitter, either, with Tyson himself giving us a head’s up:

    Unfortunately, many refused to recognize the dulcet tones coming from the former Champ:

    A bunch of heretics is what we’re dealing with…

    Backhanded-compliments will have to work, I guess. In other news, while looking at some of the reactions to Tyson’s song for LeBron, I noticed this particular gem, a flashback to a past Tyson is trying to put behind him:

    And yes, that is the official Twitter account for Evander Holyfield.

  • NBA Finals: Twitter Is Ready For Game 1

    Yes, I know the NBA isn’t on NBC anymore, but that’s still the best NBA Finals Introduction theme of all time, so I’m using it. Problem? We’re a little over four hours until the Finals tip tonight, and one thing’s for sure, Twitter is certainly ready for it to get started. As you may or may not be aware, while the NBA isn’t as popular as the NFL, it has an outspoken following on Twitter, so for the next week and half, get ready for the national Twitter trends to get taken over by such subjects as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Eric Spoelstra, and James Harden’s amazing beard.

    If you’ve selected to use the tailored Trends feature, it might not be so bad, as long as you don’t live in Oklahoma City or Miami. As indicated, Twitter is indeed ready for Game 1 to begin, something ESPN’s Twitter feed noticed as well:

    It’s true, it’s true. And what are the people saying? Basically, let’s get this sucker started:

    Because we are the nation is largely comprised of basketball shoe freaks, the Twitter updates let us know what each star player is wearing:

    Considering the incredible amount of variants Nike makes for LeBron’s shoe line, don’t be surprised if he’s wearing something totally different when the game starts. Some, unfortunately, may not make it home in time to see the game:

    Maybe they can share a stream on ESPN3.com.

  • Visualizing the NBA Finals With Interactive Shot Charts

    The 2012 NBA Finals start tonight as the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat square off for the right to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy. As is the case when a popular sports series comes to the surface, the Internet is not lacking for content dedicated to it, in this case, the NBA Finals. As writers look for any kind of edge in the series, at least in relation to their picks, we are the beneficiaries of this content.

    Whether it’s in depth statistical breakdowns, crazy flowcharts or looking at recent NBA trends to try and figure out who wins, the Internet is not lacking in regards to quality NBA Finals content.

    The New York Times also weighed in here with some impressive visual shot charts that give a great sense of where the points will probably come from during the OKC/Miami series. Not only are these charts informative, they also feature some sweet interactive flair for the individual player shot charts. For instance, the shot chart for the two biggest names in the series–LeBron and Kevin Durant–look like this when you load the page:

    (image)

    However, when you mouse over either image, the actual shot chart for the player appears, like so:

    (image)

    The charts can also be refined to show only 3-point shots, midrange shots, or shots taken at the rim. It’s almost like a playground for basketball stat fiends. The only drawback, if this can even be considered one, is in order to have the face charts magically transform into the shot charts more than once, you have to reload the entire page. I know, hitting the F5 button can be a chore, but it’s a small sacrifice to make.

    With that in mind, which team are you going pick to win it all? Do these statistical breakdowns play any part in your pick? Based on what I’ve seen, while the sports-watching world focuses on Durant and LeBron, I’m curious to see how the Heat keep Russell Westbrook out of the paint without putting LeBron James on him.

    [Via Flowing Data]

  • Kobe Bryant H-O-R-S-E eBay Auction Winner Goes Big

    Kobe Bryant H-O-R-S-E eBay Auction Winner Goes Big

    You might remember the Kobe Bryant eBay auction from May of this year (2012) where Bryant’s game-worn plastic face mask was offered. The winning bidder wound up paying $67,100 for the right to own the Lakers’ star’s Phantom of the Opera mask. Last week, another Kobe Bryant-based eBay auction went live, with the highest bidder winning an opportunity to play a game of H-O-R-S-E against one of the best scorers to play in the NBA.

    It, like the plastic mask before it, also drew some substantial bids. While not as much as the protective piece of plastic, the winning bidder for the H-O-R-S-E game will be paying $22,322.22 for the right to test their shooting skills against Bryant. While the “any given Sunday” kind of thinking is always something to acknowledge when competitive sports are involved, unless the winning bidder is a trick-shot artist, the game probably won’t last very long because this is what the winner will be going up against:


    Good luck. It should be noted the winning bidder will have an opportunity to at least put some pressure on Kobe shoot the ball a few times. Even if they miss one of Kobe’s attempts, while they’ll be assigned a letter for the miss, the winning bidder will be allowed to lead off in the next round. This alternates until someone completes the H-O-R-S-E spelling, meaning the high bidder will have about five chances to shoot first.

    The proceeds from the considerable bidding war will go to the Kobe & Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation’s Youth Homelessness Initiative. As for the bidding aspect, here how the final bidding broke down:

    (image)

    In other news, for those out there keeping score, that’s two eBay auctions Kobe Bryant’s been attached to since May. The combined total for the winning bids is $89422.22. That’s not a bad total for someone who is supposed to be a divisive personality.

    [Via Ball Don’t Lie]

  • Miami Heat’s “Good Effort” Kid Becomes a Meme

    Last night, as the Miami Heat exited their home court following their surprising Game 5 loss to the Boston Celtics, they were some words of encouragement that were offered by one of the younger fans in the form of “Good game! Good effort!” Innocent words from a kid who undoubtedly had such behavior drilled into him by little coaches. Unfortunately, the well-meaning kid was attending a man’s game where such words of encouragement ring hollow.

    When it comes to winning a championship in professional sports, the mentality of “we’ll be satisfied if we play as hard as we can” goes out the window because these teams (and players) care about one thing, and that’s winning. Playing hard and giving maximum effort, especially in the NBA Playoffs, is a given, which explains why traditional sayings like “good effort” ring hollow when you lose. Sayings like that, no matter how well intentioned they are delivered, don’t mean much when the loss means your team is facing elimination the next time they play.

    As for the kid raining down “good effort” cheers on his favorite team, it’s hard to fault him. He’s simply repeating the behavior that has undoubtedly been drilled into his head by little league coaches: respect your opponents and always be a good sport, even when you lose. Too bad that mentality doesn’t really apply when grown men playing professional sports take the field. Perhaps the lone exception to this is hockey, which follows the “line up and shake hands” tradition after every game, even the deciding game of the Stanley Cup Finals.

    Not only did the kid’s chant stand out, as you can probably guess by the fact someone captured the moment on YouTube, the saying quickly became an Internet meme that blew up on Twitter. For example:

    (image) Drew Magary
    @drewmagary     Laugh all you like, but “Good job, good effort” kid has already proven himself qualified to be an ESPN analyst.
    1 hour ago via web · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) Jay Williams
    @RealJayWilliams     Did any1 hear the kid yelling @ the #heat after they loss: “Good Job, Good Effort”: This is cold but funny!!! #Playoffs http://t.co/zINnDcn8
    3 hours ago via Twittelator · powered by @socialditto
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    Williams’ tweet features a link that goes to this incredible picture of the meme in action:

    (image)

    (image) Eric Frede
    @ericfrede     I’d like to believe “Good job, good effort” kid in Miami is actually a 10 year old from Boston who’s already an expert at mocking.
    4 hours ago via web · powered by @socialditto
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    These guys would agree:

    (image) Celtics Chants
    @CelticsChants     “Good job! Good effort!”
    3 hours ago via web · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) SportsPickle
    @sportspickle     To everyone who got out of bed today: “Good job. Good effort.”
    4 hours ago via web · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) darren rovell
    @darrenrovell     The “Good Effort” T-shirt in Heat font is now for sale http://t.co/iQqE5l7W (from @polkpanther)
    5 hours ago via Tweetbot for iOS · powered by @socialditto
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    It’s true, it’s true:

    (image)

    Be sure and buy one for all of the Miami Heat fans you know.

  • NBA Star Deshawn Stevenson Has a Working ATM in His Kitchen

    I don’t know about you, but my kitchen is pretty basic: Oversized microwave from the mid-80’s, stove with one burner that doesn’t work, a refrigerator that’s probably older than I am — you know, typical working-class appliances stuffed into a space that’s dedicated to the preparation and consumption of mass quantities. Then again, I’m not an NBA player with more money than I know what to do with, so it’s understandable that my kitchen isn’t quite up to superstar status.

    Such is the case of Brooklyn Nets player Deshawn Stevenson, who has a working ATM in his home. And not just any old ATM, mind you. No, this is a real ATM that’s stocked with $20,000 in cold, hard cash. Stevenson, who says that the ATM is there for his friends who need a little scratch before a night on the town, has the machine refilled four to six times a year. However, here’s the kicker: the ATM actually charges a service fee, so if you think you’re getting a free ride at Deshawn’s place, you’d better think again, pal. I don’t care who you are or how you roll, but $4.50 per transaction is pretty steep.

    Truthfully, I think the machine is kind of cool. Not something that I would ever want to own, but seriously cool, nonetheless. Have a look at the picture of Deshawn and his ATM below.

    (image)

  • Orlando Woolridge, Former NBA Star, Dead at 52

    Orlando Woolridge, former NBA star and considered by many to be one of the most gifted dunkers to grace the court, passed away at his parents’ house in Mansfield, Louisiana. According to the Shreveport Times, Woolridge had been suffering from a chronic heart condition, one that ultimately claimed his life. He was 52.

    Woolridge, who quickly made a name for himself playing ball for Mansfield High School and, mostly notably, Notre Dame, was selected sixth in the NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls in 1981. After spending five years there, he moved on to the New Jersey Nets. Unfortunately, after playing a handful of games during the 87-88 season, Woolridge was suspended for violating the substance abuse policy.

    After spending some time with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Denver Nuggets, the Detroit Pistons, and Milwaukee Bucks, Woolridge ended his NBA career at the Philadelphia 76ers in 1994. From there, Orlando took a trip to Italy, where he played professionally for Benetton Treviso (1994-95) and Buckler Bologna (1995-96).

    Upon returning to America, Woolridge switched gears a bit, coaching the WNBA team the Los Angeles Sparks from 1998 to 1999. The new millenium found Orlando turning his attention to the American Basketball Association, where he spent a few years coaching the Houston Takers (2007-2008) and the Arizona Rhinos (2008-2009).

    Unfortunately, Woolridge made headlines this February when he was arrested for stealing more than $2,000 worth of aluminum water lines.

    Twitter users have ventured to the micro-blogging site to discuss Woolridge’s passing. You can have a look at a few of their responses below.

    (image) Flea
    @flea333     R.I.P. orlando woolridge…man i loved that guy, was so happy when he was a laker. he was a real powerhouse and seemed a sweetheart @lakers
    28 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) rolandsmartin
    @rolandsmartin     Wow. Former NBA baller Orlando Woolridge has died. Dude was a monster scorer/dunker. RIP. He was 52.
    1 hour ago via Facebook · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) Stacey King
    @Sky21King     So sorry to hear the passing of Orlando Woolridge. My prayers and condolences go out to his family during this tough time. #RIPBigO
    1 hour ago via web · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) Tony Jones
    @TJonesLive     Sorry to hear about Orlando Woolridge death. His son Renaldo, played.for me and was recruited by me for UT. Prayers go out to the family.
    2 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) chuck swirsky
    @swirsk054     RIP Orlando Woolridge. Former Chicago Bull and Notre Dame star. Was great to be around. Always had a smile on his face
    2 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto
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  • Jack Twyman, 1950’s NBA Star, Dead at 78

    Jack Twyman, basketball Hall of Fame inductee and one of the top scorers during the 1950’s, passed away on Wednesday at a Cincinnati hospice due to complications from blood cancer. He was 78 years-old.

    “He was a great man, a devoted husband and father and a tremendous grandfather,” Jay Twyman said of his father. “What he accomplished in his lifetime was really the equivalent of three lifetimes.”

    After playing college ball for the University of Cincinnati, Twyman made the smooth transition to the NBA, where he spent 11 seasons with the Bearcats and the Royals. In addition to scoring 31.2 points per game during the 1959-1960 season, he also played in six All-Star games. At the end of his career, Twyman had scored an amazing 15,840 points. Retirement, of course, couldn’t slow someone like Twyman down. Instead of kicking back, the Hall of Famer became one of the first NBA TV analysts.

    However, his contributions to the sport didn’t end on the court. After budding NBA star Maurice Stokes was left paralyzed — a result of hitting his head on the floor during a game — Twyman became his legal guardian. In addition to caring for Stokes, he assisted the man with his medical expenses, organizing a charity game that, to this day, still raises money for players in need of a little financial assistance.

    As always, Twitter users have taken to the micro-blogging site to express their thoughts and feelings about Twyman’s passing. You can sample some of the responses by investigating the posts below. To learn more about the NBA player, pay a visit to Famous Dead.

    Image provided courtesy of GoBearcats.com

    (image) Cincinnati Hoops
    @CincinnatiWBB     Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Jack Twyman! What an amazing human being. We thank you for all that you contributed!
    18 minutes ago via TweetDeck · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) Cory Giger
    @CoryGiger     RIP Jack Twyman, 78, a great basketball player & great man who helped Maurice Stokes after his tragic injury. http://t.co/ZTEgOKTm
    17 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) chuck swirsky
    @swirsk054     Seriously if you do anything today–GOOGLE Maurice Stokes and Jack Twyman. Learn about this incredible bond between athletes, men and race
    1 hour ago via Twitter for Mac · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) Tom Gelehrter
    @Tommy_G     Just woke up and heard that one of the greatest #Bearcats of all-time, Jack Twyman has died. RIP Jack.
    5 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) Kelly Dwyer
    @KDonhoops     RT @swirsk054: RIP one of the first NBA TV analysts and ex NBA player Jack Twyman. Great man as well assisting Maurice Stokes.
    1 hour ago via TweetDeck · powered by @socialditto
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  • Twitter Has Fun With Stan Van Gundy Firing

    Ending a relationship that had turned ugly, the Orlando Magic fired head coach Stan Van Gundy today, while relieving general manager Otis Smith from his duties. In other words, the Magic cleaned house in an effort to get Dwight Howard to stay around longer than just next season. As indicated, the relationship between the head coach and the star player got a little ugly when Van Gundy publicly responded to rumors that Howard had asked the Magic front office to fire the coach.

    Naturally, YouTube/everywhere that covers sports captured this episode for all to see:


    From there, it was only a matter of time before one of the two left town, and considering just how much more pull these mega-talented players have over their coaches, logic suggested Van Gundy would be the one leaving town before Howard. Now, that reality has come to fruition, with the GM thrown in to boot.

    Considering the popularity of the NBA on Twitter, an overload of reaction was expected. To illustrate this point, Van Gundy has not one, but two Twitter trends discussing his departure. The reaction has been a pretty entertaining read, all things considered:

    (image) Kurt Helin
    @basketballtalk     Magic CEO trying to set a nice screen for Howard, saying DH never asked him to fire Stan Van Gundy. So I guess SVG just made that up. Sure.
    15 minutes ago via TweetDeck · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) Eye on Basketball
    @EyeOnBasketball     “Dwight Howard never asked me to fire Stan Van Gundy.” -Alex Martins. So SVG was just making that stuff up, is what he’s saying. Nice.
    20 minutes ago via TweetDeck · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) jory burson
    @jorydotcom     Saw ‘SVG’ trending on Twitter and thought everyone was getting really excited about scalable vector graphics. turns out it was basketball.
    1 hour ago via web · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) Tom Haberstroh
    @tomhaberstroh     To me, SVG firing reinforces this truth: an NBA megastar on a max contract is the single-most valuable asset in sports.
    1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) Gregg Doyel
    @GreggDoyelCBS     Magic picked Dwight Howard over SVG. I get why, but it won’t work. Dwight’s poison. News http://t.co/Z9IrXhia
    1 hour ago via TweetDeck · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) SportsNation
    @SportsNation     “Stan Van Gundy got fired!? Oh no, I am soo sad! I really liked him.” – Sarcastic Dwight Howard thought.
    29 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto
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    There’s quite a bit of support for the now-fired coach:

    (image) Jesus Shuttlesworth
    @theycallmeNIXON     Stan Van Gundy deserves better than the Orlando Magics. Getting fired was the best thing that ever happened to him.
    2 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) Alec Lam
    @AlecLam14     With the Stan Van Gundy & Otis Smith firing, I hope Dwight leaves Orlando and screws the front office over. SVG averaged 55 wins/season…..
    4 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto
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    (image) Lisa
    @lsummers3     Thank you Stan Van Gundy for being part of turning the Magic around! Sad to see him go. Wishing him a great future in his next coaching job!
    3 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto
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    Looks like no matter how the Magic front office tries to spin it, Dwight Howard is apparently going to remain the bad guy in all this. Lastly, the Van Gundy Twitter trend brought back a recent favorite in regards to animated gifs, courtesy of Jose3030:

    (image) 3030
    @jose3030     My Favorite Dwight Howard / Stan Van Gundy GIF of ALL TIME: http://t.co/qC5VpGQY
    1 hour ago via web · powered by @socialditto
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    Which gives us:

    (image)

    And that, folks, is a perfect encapsulation of the Stan Van Gundy/Dwight Howard relationship.

  • Remixing Kevin Durant’s Doodle Jump Commercial

    If you watch any kind of sports-related events on television, there’s little doubt you’ve seen Kevin Durant’s Doodle Jump/Sprint Unlimited Data commercial. The concept is you, the user, missed Durant’s game-winning shot because you spent what was left of your data plan downloading the popular Doodle Jump game.

    Well, it’s been remixed to include last night’s game-winning layup that Durant hit against the Los Angeles Lakers. Granted, not a lot of attention has been paid to it, thanks in large part to Kobe Bryant’s surly reaction to his team essentially choking away a Game Two win. I can’t say I feel bad for Kobe, but I do understand why ESPN, et al, is so focused on that as opposed to Durant’s shot. A pissed-off Kobe Bryant always makes for good TV, but then again, so does Kevin Durant scoring. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what’s been done.

    First, the original commercial:

    Now for the Durant’s basket that put his Oklahoma City Thunder ahead for good:

    And now, the remix that incorporates the two:


    Too bad there are so many butthurt Lakers fans watching these videos. Case in point:

    fuck OKC.

    chillin567ify 10 minutes ago

    And:

    take this off, wtf man. fuck the thunder.

    FreeLobbiez 1 hour ago

    Nothing like whiny fans to make things even more enjoyable than they already are. You can almost taste the salt from their tears.

    [Via The Basketball Jones]

  • Kyrie Irving is the NBA’s Rookie of the Year

    Kyrie Irving, point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, is all set to be named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year. Of course, if you’ve been following the player’s progress this season, this should come as absolutely no surprise to you whatsoever. However, nothing official has been announced, though someone close to the voting process told the Associated Press Sunday that Irving was a shoe-in for the award.

    According to Deseret News, Irving destroyed all other first-year players by averaging a whopping 18.5 points per game. Results of the voting won’t be available until Tuesday, though according to the AP’s source, Irving is all but promised the honor of Rookie of the Year.

    Irving, who only played in 11 games for Duke during his freshman year due to a toe injury, was the first pick in last year’s NBA draft. He’s certainly proved his mettle, delivering 46.9% of his shots from the field, 39.9% from the 3-point line, and 87.2% from the free-throw line.

    Although nothing has been set in stone in an official capacity, Twitter users are already weighing in on the subject. Take a gander at their responses below.

    (image)@mySynergySports
    mySynergySports    Among players with more than 75 isolation possessions this season, Kyrie Irving’s 49.6% shooting is easily the top mark in the NBA.(image) 15 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@MySportsLegion
    Legion Sports    Congratulations to Cavs guard Kyrie Irving on winning the NBAs Rookie of the Year award.(image) 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@bspringfield
    Brandon Springfield    Kyrie Irving ROY. I wish #Duke could’ve had him more than 11 games last year! That’s me being a selfish fan but he proved he was ready. #NBA(image) 3 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@twithersAP
    Tom Withers    Of course Kyrie Irving is rookie of the year. It should be unanimous, but it won’t be.(image) 1 day ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@francoballtho7
    who shot ya?(;    kyrie Irving with the rookie of the year. I knew he was going to get it from the beginning.(image) 1 minute ago via MobileIM ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Patrick Ewing to Interview with the Bobcats Next Week

    Patrick Ewing’s rumored interview with the Charlotte Bobcats for the head coach position is scheduled to go down next week, according to the Associated Press. However, Ewing is one of several individuals who are interested in filling the vacancy, so there’s no guarantee that the Hall of Famer will be working his magic on the team next year. No pun intended.

    An source speaking anonymously told AP that a handful of people have already interviewed for the job, including Golden State assistant coach Michael Malone and Bobcats assistant Stephen Silas, the latter of whom is the son of exiting coach Paul Silas. Additionally, the Bobcats are also interested in speaking with Indiana assistant Brian Shaw, Cleveland assistant Nate Tibbetts, and St. John’s assistant Mike Dunlap.

    The Charlotte Bobcats finished out this season with the worst winning percentage in NBA history. When everything was said and done, this year’s record was 7-59. If Ewing does snag the position, he’s going to have his work cut out for him.

    There’s been a lot of negative chatter on Twitter about Ewing’s interview with the Bobcats. You can read a selection of these thoughts and feelings below.

    (image)@netw3rk
    netw3rk    Jordan hiring Ewing to coach the Bobcats would be the final piece in MJ’s 20 year plot to completely destroy Patrick Ewing.(image) 4 hours ago via Echofon ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@PaulPabst
    Paulie Pabst    Patrick Ewing told the @dpshow that he and Michael Jordan talked about coaching the Bobcats earlier this season.(image) 4 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@Packfns
    The Time is Now…..    The bobcats are going to interview Patrick Ewing for the head coaching vacancy? He is friends with MJ….good gracious, sinking ship(image) 48 minutes ago via Twitter for Android ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@privatedancer13
    Ilee Coleman    #letpatrickcoach Patrick Ewing should get his first coaching opportunity from his nemisis michael jeffrey jordan. its only right(image) 1 hour ago via Twitter for Android ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@NBAD_League
    NBAD_League    Magic coach Stan Van Gundy endorses his assistant, Patrick Ewing, as head coaching material. Ewing will interview next week with Charlotte.(image) 2 hours ago via dlvr.it ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Patrick Ewing to Interview for Charlotte Bobcats: Twitter Reacts

    Patrick Ewing, NBA legend and “Space Jam” co-star, is all set to be interviewed by the Charlotte Bobcats for the head coach position. This news comes shortly after it was announced that current coach Paul Silas would not return next year. Ewing will meet up with Charlotte officials as soon as Orlando is eliminated from the playoffs. Ewing, as you may know, is the assistant coach for the Magic.

    Ewing has a history of mentoring large young men; he performed the same task for the Magic as well as Washington Wizards. It’s rumored that he will do the same thing for Anthony Davis should the Bobcats snap him up during the NBA draft. Ewing will have his work cut out for him, as the Bobcats managed to obtain the lowest winning percentage in league history. That isn’t the sort of honor people tend to brag about, so I’m sure Charlotte is hoping that Ewing and Davis could turn the program around.

    Are you excited that Ewing may coach the Bobcats? Is this one of the worst decisions to NBA star has ever made? Let us know in the comments section. For your viewing pleasure, have a look at what some people are saying about the news on Twitter.

    (image)@NotMarvAlbert
    Marv Albert    Patrick Ewing seems to finally be abandoning his dream to be the head coach an NBA team and will instead interview with the Bobcats.(image) 20 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@fattwins
    Fat Twins on Mopeds    Patrick Ewing may take the Bobcats coaching job? Then what? Star in Horrible Bosses 2 sequel? Don’t do it Patrick, terrible boss and job(image) 2 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@JoeandEvan
    Ev does the tweeting    After beating him year after year, the least Michael Jordan can do is give Patrick Ewing his first head coaching job.(image) 21 hours ago via TweetCaster for iOS ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@AMirch729
    Adam M. Mirchin    @JoeandEvan Ewing as head coach would be a total disaster…but Jordan is such a sick human that he prob wants to humiliate him 1 last time(image) 21 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@TasMelas
    Tas Melas    RT @robinlundberg: The Bobcats will interview Patrick Ewing for head coaching job. Looks like Jordan may keep Ewing from winning yet again.(image) 21 hours ago via TweetDeck ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Fire Extinguisher at American Airlines Arena Gets Its Own Twitter Account

    Creating Twitter accounts for animals, fictional characters, and inanimate objects is all the rage with the kids these days. I’ll be the first to admit that some of them are actually kind of funny, though I’m starting to wonder if the proverbial bubble is about to burst on this trend. When a brutalized fire extinguisher receives its own account, you have to wonder if the well of creativity is starting to run dry. Seriously.

    Knicks player Amar’e Stoudemire, experiencing a bit of frustration about losing to the Heat, decided to take out his problems on the glass box containing an ordinary, everyday fire extinguisher. The result of his impromptu boxing match: lacerations and an arm sling. Considering he still has games to play in the series, damaging his body probably isn’t the smartest move he could have made at this point. Then again, we all do some really stupid things when we’re angry.

    (image)@Amareisreal
    Amar’e Stoudemire    We all have done thing out of anger that we regret. That makes us human. Bad timing on my part. Sorry guys. This to shall pass.(image) 7 hours ago via Echofon ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this whole scenario is the fact that someone decided to make a Twitter account for the physically abused fire extinguisher. As far as humorous Twitter feeds go, it’s really not that impressive. Sure, it is kind of amusing that someone would put some time and effort into crafting thoughts and feelings for the aforementioned extinguisher, but it really amounts to nothing but a few early morning chuckles. Unless, of course, you think the referring to a man’s mouth as a vagina is hilarious. If so, by all means, have at it.

    Presently, @AAAExtinguisher has roughly 1200 fans, proof positive that people will follow just about anything trendy. You can have a look at a few of the extinguisher’s tweets and decide for yourself it this is something you’d like to read on a daily basis.

    Chances are, probably not.

    (image)@AAAExtinguisher
    Fire Extinguisher    Come at me, bro @amareisreal(image) 11 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@AAAExtinguisher
    Fire Extinguisher    Ladies, I put out.(image) 10 minutes ago via Echofon ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@AAAExtinguisher
    Fire Extinguisher    Coach Woodson was one of the people who had to separate Amare and I. His mouth looks like a 1970’s vagina.(image) 1 hour ago via Echofon ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@AAAExtinguisher
    Fire Extinguisher    I busted my glass to get where I’m at. @SuryaHeatNBA(image) 10 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@AAAExtinguisher
    Fire Extinguisher    Amare should look into getting a 2nd teardrop tattoo on his cheek after tonight.(image) 11 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Social Media Decides the NBA Playoffs

    No need to watch the rest of the NBA playoffs – Facebook, Twitter and Google + have already predicted the outcome. visual.ly user kennynorton posted this nifty infographic that utilizes the highly “scientific” method of using social media status to determine the winners. And if internet popularity is any indication, the Miami Heat will be taking home the trophy.

    If you ask me the guy is just a Heat fan, because the method for choosing the winner varies from round to round. The First round is decided by facebook likes. The second round is decided by total social media following. The third round by Twitter interaction (Tweets, RT, @replies, etc.), and the Tournament champion by the total number of Twitter followers for each of their players.

    Change the order of those methods, or choose just one and you may get a different winner every time.

    To determine the total overall social prowess of a team, you have to include all the social medias. If that is the case, The Lakers would take home the trophy with over 16 million followers, likes and + circles. The Heat has less than half of that.

    When it comes to popularity nobody beats the “King”, Tweets with his name and “ring” or “MVP” show up a lot more than Kobe’s. The only exception is when it comes to comparisons with arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan. Twice as many people believe Kobe takes that title with over 400,000 tweets with both their names together.

    Any way you look at it, social media and the NBA just go together. Over 18 million people can’t be wrong.

    Click HERE for a larger infographic.

    [source: theScore, statistics provided by sysomos]

  • Steve Nash Receives Standing Ovation from Suns Fans

    Steve Nash’s future with the Phoenix Suns is still up in the air, so, technically speaking, Wednesday night’s game against San Antonio may be the last he plays with the team. Although there’s still a chance Nash will re-sign, the possibility seems highly unlikely since the Suns are currently in the process of restructuring the team. In the eyes of a lot of people, this was Nash’s final game with Phoenix, a squad he’s been a part of for seven seasons.

    Towards the end of the game on Wednesday, those in attendance began to chant, “We want Steve!”, prompting coach Alvin Gentry to pull him off the bench. The crowd exploded, giving the beloved player a standing ovation. When Gentry pulled him out at the next dead ball, another ovation promptly ensued. If this is Nash’s last game with the Suns, at least he’s going out knowing that his fans still love him.

    Unfortunately, Phoenix was unable to best San Antonio, losing the game 110 to 106.

    “I just want our team to be as competitive as possible if I were to return. There are a lot of factors involved and I’ll get a chance to sit down and evaluate them all at some point,” Nash explained to the Arizona Republic.

    Phoenix Suns fans took to Twitter, sending the veteran baller plenty of love and well-wishes. You can check out a smattering of these posts by having a look at the tweets embedded below.

    (image)@martinpop520
    martin ma    @SteveNash. Hope u can play another season in phoenix, cos I love the suns with u,great passer,steve nash.(image) 1 minute ago via IM+ ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@jwenblazer
    Jian wen    Respects steve nash! Thanks u for ur wonderful years with me.(image) 40 minutes ago via Twitter for Android ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@Dela_Y
    Dela    Steve Nash will shoot 50% FG, 40% 3PT & 90% FT this season for the 5th time in his career..IT’S ONLY BEEN DONE 9 TIMES TOTAL IN NBA HISTORY.(image) 2 days ago via Echofon ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@iamisiahthomas
    Isiah Thomas    I am a huge fan of Steve Nash ! watch and learn from one of the greats of our game.(image) 1 day ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@ThatDude_Ty
    Sólo llámame Ty perr    Black people loves Steve Nash just like Eminem(image) 2 days ago via Twitter for Mac ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@JackpotBFE
    Jackpot     Steve Nash is the best passer in history(image) 2 days ago via Echofon ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@TheWrightWorld
    Jimmy Wright    If Steve Nash goes to the Lakers or Miami this offseason it will be terrible for me.(image) 48 minutes ago via Twitter for Mac ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Chris Christie Tweets Harsh Goodbye To The Nets

    “I’m not going to the Nets game tonight and my message to the Nets is goodbye.”

    With those short words and a shrug of the shoulders, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said farewell to the long-time state NBA franchise.

    “You don’t wanna stay, we don’t want you,” he went on to say. “I mean seriously, I’m not going to be in the business of begging people to stay here. That’s one of the most beautiful arenas in America, that they’ve had the chance to play in, it’s in one of the country’s most vibrant cities and they wanna leave here and go to Brooklyn? Good riddance. See you later.”

    He tweeted out his short, but sweet message late Monday:

    (image)@GovChristie
    Governor Christie    @netsbasketball I have one word for you: Goodbye. http://t.co/NyvZWqy4(image) 17 hours ago via TweetDeck ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    His comments came at a press conference for a bill signing earlier in the day. Check out the video below:

    Last year, in a move that surprised nobody, part-owner Jay-Z announced that the team would be moving to Brooklyn’s new Barclays Center for the 2012-2013 season. Earlier this month, the NBA board of governors unanimously approved the relocation. The name change to the Brooklyn Nets will be finalized at the end of the month, and the team will get an all-new logo an new team colors.

    Whatever you think of Governor Christie, you have to respect his straightforwardness, a quality that has endeared him to many in his party. It’s one of the reason that his name is among a fairly lengthy list of possible VP candidates to run alongside (expected nominee) Mitt Romney in the 2012 Presidential election.

  • Ron Artest’s Elbow Brings World Peace To James Harden

    Ron Artest’s Elbow Brings World Peace To James Harden

    Yes, I am aware of Artest’s name change, but after that wild elbow to James Harden’s temple, it’s hard not to be reminded of the person who, in large part, brought “The Malice in the Palace” to the sports world. Artest, AKA, Metta World Peace and his sharp-as-nails elbows, in one fateful swing, ended the goodwill his “new leaf” behavior brought him, even though he was quick to apologize for his actions.

    To some, the apologies ring hollow.

    In case you missed it, the lead image provides all of the details, but in this day and age, of course there’s video of the incident. Hell, there’s an animated gif, as well. What we have is World Peace elbowing the absolute stuffing out of Harden–so much so, in fact, some follow-up reports indicate a concussion for the Thunder’s excellent sixth man.

    The particularly vicious head knock in question:


    For his actions, Artest-World Peace was immediately tossed from the game, and he faces a long suspension; but that’s just from the NBA. Once again, World Peace-Artest is being tried by the court of public opinion, and if public sentiment was any indicator, let’s just say Metta-Ron is lucky public opinion won’t be able to mete out any punishments:

    (image)@MojaveFoneBooth
    Mojave Phone Booth    Yes, he won the NBA “citizenship award” (WTF IS THAT!?) but there’s no chance Metta World Peace does not someday murder at least one person.(image) 4 hours ago via TweetDeck ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@sportspickle
    SportsPickle    Disillusioned Metta World Peace changes his name to Military Industrial Complex – http://t.co/NZBwPRPQ(image) 12 hours ago via Tweet Button ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@TheFakeESPN
    The Fake ESPN    Metta World Peace admits to suffering from schizophrenia, but only below the left shoulder, “The rest of us are fine, we promise.”(image) 13 hours ago via HootSuite ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@MizzBritta
    Britta Schellenberg    So much for having “Peace” in your name. WTF, Metta World Peace.(image) 1 minute ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@CMorris83
    Chris Morris    Metta World Peace need to be suspended the rest of the season(image) 2 minutes ago via Echofon ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@andyroddick
    andyroddick    I think metta world peace should change his name to holy flying elbow(image) 33 minutes ago via Twitterrific ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@BringBackTheBuz
    Bring Back The Buzzz    Metta World Peace is ejected for elbowing…..irony(image) 1 minute ago via Twitter for Android ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Yep, pretty much that. For what it’s worth, Artest-World Peace did try to apologize for his actions:

    (image)@MettaWorldPeace
    Metta WorldPeace    I just watched the replay again….. Oooo..
    My celebration of the dunk really was too much… Didn’t even see James ….. Omg… Looks bad(image) 12 hours ago via Mobile Web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@MettaWorldPeace
    Metta WorldPeace    Hope James Hardin is ok…
    I remember when I hit by Marc Gasol the same way.. I was spitting up blood and a headache during the game…(image) 13 hours ago via Mobile Web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Judging by the Twitter reaction, however, it doesn’t look like anyone is taking these apologies to heart, choosing instead to wish the maximum punishment on Artest-World Peace. ESPN naturally got in on the act as well, but even the Worldwide Leader went above and beyond the norm, using a five-man roundtable discussion to react to the vicious elbow. An example of the reaction:

    1. What was your gut reaction to the play?

    Andrew Kamenetzky, ESPN Los Angeles: Shock — it was a pretty vicious hit, seemingly out of nowhere — and then disappointment, considering how much work Metta has put in rehabilitating his season and image. This incident represents a major step backward.

    As we await word from the NBA front office on the upcoming suspension, does anyone want to take bets on how long Artest-World Peace’s lasts? Does he make it back for the playoffs? Let us know what you think.

  • Gabrielle Union Heckles Dwyane Wade, Gets Banned from Courtside Seats

    Gabrielle Union may look innocent and sweet, but beneath those incredible looks and charming smile beats the heart of a true heckler. Her professional basketball-playing boyfriend, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, is frequently the target of her zingers, though she isn’t above talking some smack to opposing teams and referees.

    So loud and frequent are her heckles that Wade has asked her to sit a few rows back from the court. Her usual seat is right behind the Miami Heat bench.

    While promoting her latest motion picture, director Tim Story’s romantic comedy “Think Like a Man”, Gabrielle opened up to Conan O’Brien about her unpopular courtside habits. When asked if she went as far as to ridicule her own boyfriend, Union wasn’t ashamed to admit the truth.

    “Oh sure, I feel like who’s gonna tell him if not me?” she replied. “I’m like dance mom. … I’ve become like Bobby Knight and like the Great Fettucini, it’s bad. I scream like ‘brick!’ and ‘air ball!’”

    Her attacks don’t stop with just the players. Union has been known to toss a few choice words towards referees, young and old alike. “Recently, like maybe last week, there was an older ref, perhaps it was Dick Bavetta, and I said ‘you’ll get your Viagra if you just make a call’”, the actress explained.

    The couple met while co-hosting a 2007 Superbowl party. Although public scrutiny of their relationship has been particularly brutal, the pair remain dedicated and incredibly happy. As always, members of the Twitter community have something to say on the topic. A handful of their responses have been embedded below.

    (image)@stevencarrier
    Steven Carrier    Very excited for @DLanceBlack‘s VIRGINIA. Jennifer Connelly is one of the finest actresses working, and it looks like another home run(image) 12 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@BlaqueBeautyFly
    ~Tracey~    What is this mess I am reading on yahoo that says NBA star banned gf @gabrielleunion from front row….LLS(image) 3 hours ago via Twitter for Android ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@SociologistRay
    Rashawn Ray    Dang, you are a super fan. Kicked off of first row at #MiamiHeat games.
    #GabrielleUnion
    http://t.co/MTgL3VKS(image) 2 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Singleton on $10,000 in Lottery Tickets: No Regrets

    You may remember this Twitter post from NBA player Chris Singleton during the $640 million Mega Millions lottery:

    (image)@C_SING31
    Chris Singleton    I’m about to drop 10000 on the lottery and cross my fingers #halfwaytoabillionaireifiwin(image) 6 days ago via UberSocial for BlackBerry ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Richardson really did spend $10,000 on lottery tickets, but he didn’t win the jackpot. He sent another tweet later that day calling his decision an “investment”. When asked by the Associated Press after the lottery ended if he thought it was a wise investment he answered it was “either that or blowing it in the clubs.”

    (image)@C_SING31
    Chris Singleton    RT @letzgoterps: @recordsANDradio @C_SING31 And to him, tha’ts probably like $100.– its an investment guys(image) 6 days ago via UberSocial for BlackBerry ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    It’s good the 22-year old can be cocky with his money. He recently signed a $7 million contract. He just better be careful he doen’t go the way of a lot on pro athletes, *cough* Antoine Walker, who lose it all after making millions.

    On second thought, it probably was a wise investment. You can’t buy the amount of publicity Singleton is getting from his comments. A quick Google news search brings up 1,782 articles written on the subject of Chris Singleton and the lottery. Everyone has heard about it, even if you don’t follow basketball.

    Singleton won some money from the tickets, but he isn’t sure how much yet. It takes a while to go through 10,000 tickets. He said he had to buy them at various locations because no one place could print that many.

    (image)@C_SING31
    Chris Singleton    Appreciate all the tweets past 3-4 days lol I did win some money for the ppl wondering but not the 650 million I was hoping. #megamillions(image) 2 days ago via Mobile Web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • New NBA “Has Handle” T-Shirts Feature Twitter Handles

    Have you ever wanted to show the world who your favorite NBA players is? Normally, you buy a jersey to do that, but what if you want to show the wold who your favorite player is, along with any pertinent Twitter information connected to that player? Well, the NBA now has t-shirts allowing you to do just that.

    Introducing the NBA’s “Has Handle” line of t-shirts, one that playfully toys with the phrase normally reserved for dribbling excellence, altering it to fit the world of Twitter. As pointed out by WithLeather.com, the t-shirts feature the player’s number, and instead of using the player’s last name–the tradition for basketball jerseys–the design features the player’s Twitter handle.

    Get it?

    Here’s an example of the shirts, and for this one, we’re featuring the dunking machine that is Blake Griffin:

    (image)

    Notice the hashtag on the front of the t-shirt? The NBA loves them some Twitter, clearly. Other players subjected to the “Has Handle” t-shirts are Jeremy Lin (@JLin7), Chris Paul (@CP3), Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5), Carmelo Anthony (@CameloAnthony), and Dwyane Wade (@DwyaneWade), and for the low, low price you can support your favorite player, and their Twitter account as well; or, as WithLeather puts it:

    …the only upside I can see to them is how much more awkward it makes me going into a team store to ask for an awful player’s merchandise and having to say his username outloud. “Uh, excuse me, you guys got any at-sign ianmahinmi shirseys?”

    And yes, the “shirsey” misspelling is intentional.

    The shirt(s) can be yours for 23.99.