Stack, talk to me when you win a ring son

from http://mavsblog.dallasnews.com/

Jason Kidd's bitter breakup with Byron Scott in New Jersey has been well chronicled. Jerry Stackhouse isn't a fan of the Hornets' coach, either.

Stack, whose refreshing honesty I'm familiar with firsthand, made his feelings about Scott clear in an appearance on Live 105.3's Above the Rim with Brady Tinker.

"I don't think Byron Scott is the best coach or I don't think he's the best guy to deal with -- you know what I'm sayin? -- from some things that I've heard from other players and just some dealings that I had with him earlier in the season. I was about ready to kick his ass -- you know what I'm sayin? He was sitting on the sideline and we just got into a little conversation or something and he was going to tell me, you know, 'Talk to me when you get a ring.' I was like, I told that fool, 'If I played with Magic and Worthy and Kareem I'd have a ring, too'. So, you know, he's a sucker in my book, but that's a whole other story."

It's a whole other story, as well, that Scott is owning the Mavs at this point.

Brent "Burnt" Barry says "chuuuch, I'm a Spur baby"

Phoenix Suns General Manager Steve Kerr said Brent Barry told him Thursday tonight that he has chosen to re-sign with the San Antonio Spurs over Phoenix. Barry cleared waivers Tuesday after being traded by San Antonio last week to the Seattle SuperSonics, which released him Friday to set off a week of recruiting.

Barry will not be able to sign a deal with San Antonio until March 21 because NBA rules prohibit a player from re-signing with a team that traded him until 30 days after the deal was made.

"I spoke with Brent and he informed me he was going to stay in San Antonio," Kerr said. "He said that it was a tough decision but he's going to stay."

Source: Arizona Republic

PHOENIX (TICKER) —Free agent swingman Brent Barry won’t be going anywhere after all, according to a published report in the Arizona Republic on Thursday.

Barry, 36, reportedly informed Phoenix Suns general manager Steve Kerr that he chose the San Antonio Spurs over the Suns, Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets.

A career 41 percent 3-point shooter who helped the Spurs win NBA titles in two of his four seasons with the team, Barry was traded by San Antonio to the Seattle SuperSonics along with center Francisco Elson as part of the Kurt Thomas trade on February 20. He was waived by the Sonics last Thursday.

“I spoke with Brent and he informed me he was going to stay in San Antonio,” Kerr told the Republic. “He said that it was a tough decision, but he’s going to stay.”

According to the paper, Barry will not be able to sign a deal with San Antonio until March 21 because NBA rules prohibit a player from re-signing with a team that traded him until 30 days after the deal was made.

Barry, nicknamed “Bones” for his 6-foot-7, 210-pound frame, is averaging 7.3 points and 1.9 rebounds for San Antonio this season. In 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Sonics and Spurs, he is averaging 9.7 points and 3.1 boards.

Spurs Parker "really happy" to see Harris, Diop leave Mavs

This is exactly what I've been saying... Mavs sign Jason Kidd and get rid of Devin Harris... Spurs fans rejoice.

Viewed through the prism of the San Antonio Spurs-Dallas Mavericks rivalry, in acquiring Jason Kidd, Dallas essentially parted with two players who have been perennial thorns in the Spurs' side — Devin Harris and DeSagana Diop.

And Spurs guard Tony Parker likes the move. Said Parker: "To be honest with you, I'm really happy for that trade. Diop was doing a good job on us. And Devin Harris, most of the time, he played good against us. So I thought it would be good for us. No disrespect to Jason Kidd, he's a great point guard, but those guys that left always gave us trouble."

Source: Express-News

Eva... please don't talk

The blogs today are going crazy today after Eva Longoria said something about Tony Parker... this is via truehoop and dallasbasketball.com... ohhh it's a surprise that a Dallas basketball blog misconstrued someone's words to make a San Antonio Spur's player look bad.

The actress admits it's tough watching her husband play for the San Antonio Spurs - because she never knows when he's really hurt, and when he's acting. She says, "Sometimes he acts to get the flagrant foul or, to sell the foul more, he'll throw himself on the floor and really play it up more than what it is. "I really don't know what the difference is so I'm like, 'Stop laying on the ground if you're not hurt. Just get up!' He's like, 'Honey, I have to stay on the ground sometimes.'

I don't think she was saying that he he flops, but I think she was just saying that she gets nervous when he goes down because she thinks he might be hurt... oh well all I know is that if Devin Harris of the Dallas Mavericks had a famous wife she couldn't bare to watch all of his great acting

NBA Referee Joey Crawford Reinstated

According to Basketball News and Hoops World, NBA Ref Joey Crawford has been reinstated into the NBA by David Stern. This comes as a surprise because Crawford said that even if he was reinstated by Stern he would never referee another NBA game.

A flurry of publicity surrounded the suspension of NBA referee following a showdown with San Antonio Spurs star Tim Duncan. It was with much less fanfare that Crawford was reinstated. Basketball News has learned that NBA Commissioner David Stern, satisfied that Crawford has learned his lesson, has reinstated one of the NBA's most respected referees. Crawford was suspended for the season after he had words with Duncan and then ejected him during an emotionally-charged game in Dallas against the Mavericks. Duncan was fined $25,000 for his part in the incident. "Especially in light of similar prior acts by this official, a significant suspension is warranted," Stern said at the time. "Although Joey is consistently rated as one of our top referees, he must be held accountable for his actions on the floor, and we will have further discussions with him following the season to be sure he understands his responsibilities."Now an agreement has been reached, and Crawford will once again patrol the NBA hardwoods.

Here is a good quote by Joey C. about this situation given when he got suspended for the rest of the season, "I told him (Stern) I would throw Duncan out again if he did what he did,” Crawford wrote. “So if my employer does not think that was acceptable, then I have a problem.” And remember this one about Dick Bavetta from ESPN's insider:

"Crawford also blasted fellow referee Dick Bavetta in the e-mail obtained by ESPN.com, hinting at divisions among referees between those who do and don’t support Bavetta and writing that maybe Bavetta will wind up as the crew chief in Game 7 of the NBA “which is a travesty in itself you even being in the finals.”

What a great man, I can't wait for him to be back in the NBA throwing players out of games, especially throwing superstars out for laughing. Joey Crawford to Tim Duncan... "you wanna fight about it..."

Mark Cuban sues Nellie

Mark Cuban is a joke.

It was announced today that Cuban is suing Don Nelson, the former Dallas Maverick coach and current Golden State Warrior coach, for using inside information to beat the Mavericks in the playoffs. Basically, Cuban is suing Nellie for owning Cuban and the Mavs in the playoffs, in the most embarrassing upset in NBA history. I mean, as if the Mavs playoff exit wasn't cruel enough. This makes me want to laugh.

"I'm embarrassed by the whole thing," Nellie told Big Ed Sefko, but I reckon
Cuban doesn't have enough dignity to feel the same way.
Steve Nash better
thank his lucky stars that the Suns lost to the Mavs in the 2006 playoffs, or
Cuban might have taken him to court, too.
If Cuban wins this case, Avery
needs to watch out. I'm sure the Spurs can present a pretty convincing case that
Avery's inside info helped the Mavs eliminate San Antonio in last season's
conference semis.

Obviously, this is somewhat of a counter-attack against Nellie's lawsuit against the Mavs where he says he is owed $6.5 Million. Cuban is so rich and has so many lawyers sitting around and doing nothing that he can just try to bury Nellie in paperwork and bogus lawsuits to hope he folds. I hope Nellie comes out on top on this one. This is one of the major reasons why fell like Cuban has no class and that, disappointingly, transcends throughout the Maverick organization. It makes me proud to be an American when I know that a rich bully can basically do whatever he wants when it comes to the court system to almost make it impossible for the underdog to succeed.... I HATE MARK CUBAN... GO NELLIE!

Mavs Blog, Dallas News

Michael Finley is the man

Well, the highest paid Dallas Maverick just won an NBA championship. The problem for Mavs fans, the DFW metroplex, and one Mark Cuban is that he doesn't really play for the Mavs. This, of course, is the one and only San Antonio Spur, Michael Finley. How could you not be happy for this guy? One of the biggest class acts in all of sports. It's all the more sweater that Mark Cuban and the Mavs are still paying him around $18 million for this year, after throwing him under the bus so they didn't have to pay a hefty NBA luxury tax, while the Spurs are paying him around $2 million and giving him the most memorable moment in his career, a NBA championship.

The Spurs arrived in SA-town this afternoon and Michael Finley spoke to the crowd. He told the cheering crowd that he was "just happy to be a part of this." "Last year I was crying and this year I was crying, too," the former Dallas Mavericks player said. Becoming an NBA champion felt "damn good," he said, adding that he had a message to those who questioned his move to San Antonio from Dallas: "To all those people who said, 'Why San Antonio?' I have to say, 'Why not San Antonio?'"

That's right Mavs fans. The face of your organization for the past decade just won an NBA championship with a rival team with everything that you strive to be, but you wouldn't know what winning a title feels like... I'm really, really, really sorry. Michael Finley is laughing all the way to the bank with your $18 million and a ring, son.

Source: My SA

The Dreaded 2-3-2

I just want to take a second to talk a little crap about the format of the NBA Finals, which is 2-3-2. Meaning that the home court advantage team gets the first two games at home and the last two, if the series goes to seven games. So, is this really home court advantage? Personally I wouldn't want to be the home team because if home court stays true, the home team will be facing an elimination game during game six.

Every other series in the NBA playoffs is in a 2-2-1-1-1 format. In this case, if home court stays true, the only elimination game the home team will face is game seven. So, why does the NBA do this. There are several theories, but the only one that is valid is the reason of the sports media. When the format is 2-3-2 they only have to make two trips from city to city.

I think this is total crap. For example, I believe one of the main reasons why the Dallas Mavericks lost the NBA Finals last year to the Miami Heat is because of the format of the series. Everyone won their respective home games... (games one-five) and then the Mavs faced an elimination game in game six. We all know that game five of an NBA playoff series is the most crucial when the series is close and especially when is is tied 2-2 and in the NBA Finals this (game 5) is not on the home team's court like every other series. But I guess we have to cater to the worthless media. I know it's tough for them to travel... Another one of David Stern's brilliant ideas.

Today in Sports Nonsense

Formula One malay [McLaren Rookie Let Teammate Win Monaco Gran Prix]

MLS... Go FC Dallas!! [MLS Powah Rankings: Week 8]

Del Harris... one of the only Mavs I like [Del Harris Has a Great Job]

Summer NCAA Basketball news?? [Kansas' Rush tears ACL; may return by November]

LA Galaxy concerned over Beckham England recall [Story & FIFA: Release him]

Mark Cuban Wants Michael Finley?????

Just when I think Mark Cuban can't go any lower he ends up surprising me, and all of us. According to the Fort Worth based newspaper, the Star-Telegram, he said that he wants Michael Finley to consider coming back to the Dallas Mavericks after the 2007 expires. How ridiculous is this? Michael Finley, the backbone for the Mavs for the past decade, was basically stabbed in the back and was told to leave even though he would still be the highest paid Mav being that they still owe him around $18 million (more than good ol' dirk) for 2007. Good business decision Cubes.

This is Yahoo "NBA Rumors" take:

After all that's transpired between the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs guard Michael Finley – the Mavs releasing him after nine seasons to avoid paying a massive, self-induced salary-cap penalty, to Jason Terry's infamous punch to Finley's groin and Mavs owner Mark Cuban's reactionary endorsement to boo Finley – Cuban said he'd like Finley to consider a fresh start up north.
"I would hope that after his contract is over in San Antone, he would consider the Mavs as an option," Cuban said Monday. "I don't know that he would, but our entire organization has that much respect for him."
Finley has one season left on his deal, a player option, which calls for $18.6 million in Mavs money and $3.1 million from the Spurs.

Here are some interesting responses to this:

1. Oh now you want him. Well guess what? He's gonna get a Championship here in SA and he's goin to retire a champion here in SA. He deserves to retire from a classy organization, nothing less, and you Mr. Cuban are considerably less than that. The Mavs would have no class, if AJ weren't the head coach. Thanks but no thanks, Fin is here to stay...and win!

2. Mark Cuban has negated all of Avery Johnson's hard work, image-boosting, and character-building. Cuban has made would-be supporters into enemies, that's why everyone was going for Miami last year in the finals. I have heard over and over from Dallas fans that the Spurs "got the Mavs' trash" with Finley, and that he was "worthless." He has been put into a positive environment where he can excel as a player with San Antonio. I hope Finley retires with San Antonio.

Sources: Star-Telegram & Cuban wants Finley back with Mavs (Yahoo! Sports)

Comments on the Spurs

Interesting thoughts by an obvious Spurs fan... Very very true!

Erik said...
you know aaron, as more people complain about the spurs - jazz series being extremely boring, I am coming up with two thoughts:

1. Game 5 was an obvious example of a problem that Phoenix, in 3 years time, hasn't addressed, their lack of a bench. I mean, it's tough to listen to people say that Nash and Co. was worn down from Game 4 because they only had a 6 man rotation. Well no s***. I know it's the playoffs and less people play, but come on. This seems to be a result of them not developing any players past the 7-8th spot on their bench. Tough shit.

2. I feel like the Conference Finals that everyone finds boring is a direct result of everyone's dream series where the Mavs lost to GS. Once GS won, it was obvious that either Houston or Utah was going to be in the Finals because GS hadn't had much success against anyone other than Dallas. So to me, what would you rather have? A opening round series with a historical upset or a Conference Finals that was going to lopsided no matter if it was SA or Phoenix playing the Houston/Utah winner. F*** people who are giving up on the NBA because the Spurs won and the East sucks. If this was Jordan's Bulls or the Lakers of 00-02, this would be considered one of the greatest playoff runs going that could one day be one of the best teams to win the championship.

Then again, I don't give a f*** because I'll get to wear another Spurs NBA champion tshirt and tell Mavs fans that they suck. I love life.