Two Recommendations

We do album reviews here. Nor movie reviews. Not book reviews. Album reviews. And even those are starting to be hard to come by. But, as Charlie T mentioned, I've been on the clock with The Man lately and thus away from TBC. But it did give me some time to read.

I finished Bill Simmons' The Book of Basketball. It's as exhaustive as it looks and sounds. My quick, Twitter-length review is: exhaustive, funny, smart look @ who matters in NBA history by an admitted homer. Ends weak.

But I read it- all 600+ pages of it- in under three months. So that's saying something. If not for the last two chapters' petering out, I'd really recommend it (as long as you take it with a spoonful of I Can Tolerate A Celtic Bias antivirus). Maybe later I'll take a stab at a real review, but suffice it to say, I tore through it. I even used his MJ Is Better Than LeBron Until... argument a day after reading it.

And, speaking of Simmons, I can't recommend highly enough the latest 30for30, Winning Time about Reggie Miller's classic clash with the 90's Knicks. Even my wife was riveted, gasping, laughing out loud. Very very good.

Blow the Speakers

What happens when you have the music turned up too loud for too long? You're going to blow the speakers.

Looks like our favorite Pacer rookie just blew his speakers. Looks like the Psycho T meter is now off. See you next year Psycho T.

910 Conversation: Weekend Roundup

Psycho T Meter: 8
We promised to track the Psycho-ness of Psycho Tyler Hansbrough throughout the season as he tries to translate his college hustle to the pros. Due to a shin injury we have had to put this on the back burner until this weekend when he saw his first action.

In his first professional game he managed to find a way to dive after a lose ball into the stands. We also go our money's worth of Hustle Faces. All that adds up to an 8 on the Psycho T Meter. (see below)



Sacramento Kings Wins: 2, 3
We might have to adjust our wager at this point and change it to Jazz wins by the end of January. I thought the win vs. the Jazz was an aberration, but they backed it up by inching closer to .500 against the Jay Bilas All-Stars. We may be looking at courtside seats at this rate.

Celtics Countdown to 10 loses: 1
Minus the game against Orlando where they sent their "B" team, the Suns went 3-1 on a very difficult east coast swing. The Celtics on the other hand are lucky the Baby Wolves don't know how to finish a game or this would be the Celtics 2nd loss. 72 wins is still technically on the radar.

Memphis Thirtysomethings: 3
Rudy Gay drops 33 on the Clipps. This was without factoring in the Clippers handicap. So in reality he had about 17 which is a solid night. In other Grizzlies news, our favorite Thritysomething Allen Iverson will have to really pick up the pace to appear in thirty games this year.

Phoenix Suns: 1 (pending)
Though he hasn't quite gotten it, Shaq is currently working overtime trying to figure out how to steal this late career rebirth from Steve Nash. Hey Shaq, I might be going out on a limb here, but I doubt its in the Cuyahoga Police Department.

It Was Horsecrap

You are right, Coach Mike Brown. They shouldn't have called a foul on Granger with .4 seconds left. You swallow your whistle at that point. Heck, you just leave the floor if you are an official.

That said, congratulations on sticking up for LeBron and Co. Your team has been so picked on. And it's nice to hear a little harmony with the sad tunes our dear martyr, St. BronBron of Our Lady Of Cleveland, has been singing lately.

The Half Way Point

Since the end of the 2007-2008 NBA season, half of the leagues teams have changed coaches. 8 teams got new coaches over the off season and 7 have changed drivers mid-race.

There appears to be more stability among the dance teams of the the Association, or at least the players are paying more attention to them.

Here are my top 5 coaches who could be fired by the end of the season, with their respective odds.
(note: I have no inside connection to any team and this is all purely made up, but if I am right...)

Jim O'Brien 5:1
The Pacers are overachieving and underachieving on a nightly basis. It won't be long before its late on night and Larry Legend starts thinking Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy are actually good players and its the coach that is making them miss wide open jumpers. Plus O'Brien never lasts more than 2 seasons anywhere.

Lawrence Frank 9:1
The first 2010 coaching change, unless you count the D'Antoni move.
You really think LeBron wants to play for this guy? He looks like Doogie Howser for crying out loud.

Mike Dunleavy 100:1
Seems like it should be more likely, but that would mean the Clippers would have a chance to be mediocre again. The space-time continuum can't have that now can it.

Vinny Del Negro 20:1
I'm still not sure how this hire happened so it can't last, right?

Scott Brooks 20:1
He will undoubtedly be the winningest coach in OKC history. A record that should remain unchallenged for decades

Mehmet Okur, minus the "Meh"

Playing at home against the Pacers, Mehmet Okur went for a career-high 43 points on Monday night, joining this season's 40+ Club (with Amare Stoudemire and Kevin Martin?). Interestingly, he didn't score any of the last 15 points scored by the Jazz.

It was the most points by a Jazz center ever. That's really, really hard to believe when you look the long-armed legacy of Utah C's:








(not pictured in a Jazz uni, but who could forget the sucker punch?)