Kevin doin' work

In case anyone missed, check this ole' fly stuff. How awesome is team USA this year? Spanish basketball is also very, very good. Ricky Rubio does some things on the court that are simply ridiculous. Too bad he is still like the fifth best pg in that game (I'll give him more cred once he is not playing the US or when he plays in the US). Watching Kevin D. and a number of other good Americans is impressive. His mild and warm manner and beautiful game force me to reluctantly cheer for him, despite the fact that he is in the same division as the Jazz. He is pretty special and has moved up to number four in the league in my book. If only he were still in Seattle...

More on Malone: WBAJFIRG III

I've been watching a lot of Friday Night Lights recently, which is a pretty great show. It's largely great because it's a high school soap opera, which is pretty enjoyable in its own rite (who doesn't love living the drama of high school without the fear of having your acne seen?). The show is also great, however, because it is constantly dispenses well executed sports cliches. They are the same cliches that make you groan in so many awful movies, but when they are done correctly they leave you with a lump in your throat. That's probably because they get to the heart of sports. The rush of athleticism, sure, but also the respect a leader earns by steering his men through battle. The loyalty guys have to a cause (sorry to be so phalocentric), the unity and higher purpose of a team... you know, all that cliched shit.

There is, undoubtedly, a reason this show takes place in High School. People have a feeling that professional sports isn't like this anymore -- that with so many steroid scandals (what up beloved), decisions, salary deals, and felony charges it is hardly about the game, or at least not in the way that Friday Night Lights is. And while I think these conservative sports value types are somewhat historical revisionists, they may have some point. Malone certainly isn't and never has been a perfect man, to claim otherwise would be to willfully play up some values while ignoring some serious others (morals were great in the fifties, 'member?). But stories like this show you why he's great, what sports can offer, and a reason to care, even when you don't get LeBron.

Why it's great to be a Jazz fan pt. II

Karl Malone's induction into the hall of fame went swimmingly. He is not the most articulate person, but I have to agree with Free Darko and SLC Dunk that this speech was good in its inverse-Jordan way. Most of it was spent praising those who helped, not deriding those that stood in the way. Malone was always tough and always wanted to win, and it is nice to see that he also cares about adding something to the world instead of just beating it. Congratulations to Mr. Malone and his family for the great honor of induction into the Hall of Fame!

"If I would’ve had a beer before the game, I would’ve been drunk. So I don’t believe in ‘if.’”

In LeBronless news, Shaq is moving to Boston (and you can indeed bet that he is a vet, based on his veteran's minimum salary). Finally, two of my favorite pieces of professional basketball collide. Too bad they won't win, but still, at least Kobe can tell us something...