First Kobe, now Rasheed. Word out of Detroit is that Rasheed Wallace has dropped 25 pounds since the end of the season — so much that Joe Dumars has been calling him “Slim Jim.” Thinking back, ‘Sheed did seem kinda slow last year, but we figured it was just age/ankle problems. And not saying Wallace would become a defensive beast like Kobe was in the FIBA tournament after he dropped some weight, but a leaner ‘Sheed would definitely help Detroit on both ends of the floor. If he’s quicker to step out while guarding pick-and-rolls and able to get up the court faster on the break, they could be real dangerous. Not to mention that if Rasheed is lighter, he’s easier to hold back when he’s going after the refs. So everybody wins … Speaking of the FIBA tournament, remember that kid Romel Beck from Team Mexico that got Kobe on a crossover/jumper? The UNLV product and former D-Leaguer has been on the NBA radar, but has reportedly turned down a handful of training camp invites in favor of playing in Europe … New York fans still love Allan Houston, despite the fact that he took $40 million of the team’s money over the last two years for doing nothing. Whenever H20 makes a public appearance at events we’ve been at, he gets a huge ovation — it seems only Pat Ewing, John Starks and Oakley get more love from the public. (They love Starks out here.) Now it looks like the Knicks fans might get their man back. Over the weekend we saw where Allan’s agent basically said New York was where they wanted to be, and according to the Bergen Record, the Knicks are thinking of offering him part of its midlevel exception. Apparently it doesn’t matter that the team already has 17 players on the roster and three shooting guards … J.J. Redick has a broken bone in his right hand, but he’s expected to be OK by the time training camp starts. It’s like this kid has been injured ever since he put on the Orlando cap at the ‘06 Draft. When he plays he gives the Magic a big lift with his shooting, but he’s got to stay on the court or else he’ll be labeled just another Duke bust … Whether the Blazers want him or not, Darius Miles is a little closer to coming back. He’s reportedly been cleared to “run in straight lines,” but still can’t cut or jump. D-Miles probably won’t be back on the court until December, right around the time that Sonics/Blazers Christmas Day game gets pulled from national TV … Ex-Jazz guard Raul Lopez, who now plays in Spain, talked to his team’s website about his experience in the League: “In the NBA you meet many types of people,” Lopez said. “There are very self-absorbed people, and many of them are the best players in the League.” … During the Washington State/Idaho football game last night, one of the WSU running backs turned a broken screen pass into a short gain. The announcer summed it up as “making chicken salad out of chicken something else.” … We’re out like chicken something else …
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September 16th, 2007 at 4:09 am
Amar says:
in other news, spain and russia advanced to the finals of eurocup play… ak47 had 29 points (9/11 fg, 8/11 ft, 1/3 3pt), 8 boards, 3 blocks, 3 steals and a dime in the win over espn backed lithuvania, and spain kept on trucking over greece.
September 16th, 2007 at 7:23 am
krazykrake says:
lithuvania lol
September 16th, 2007 at 8:02 am
mrparker says:
what the hell you doing watching wassau idaho state play?
September 16th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Austin says:
Wassau? What’s that? To answer you question, I used to cover WSU football/basketball.
September 16th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
JC says:
Romel Beck signed in Italy I believe… Good for him. He’s had some NBA looks before (tryout w/ the Spurs, D-league) Guess he needs that check. I feel him
September 16th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
Bron42 says:
orlando wanted romel too but when it comes down to gettin paid overseas or livin the dream in the nba but makin minimum…thats what happens.
As much as i hate houston, and as old as the heat already are, don’t you think he could at LEAST be a decent replacement for Jason Kapono. I mean he can’t be that much slower lol.
JJ Reddick could be a poor mans steve kerr, but without jordan or duncan, steve kerr would be trajon langdon.
Knicks fans just live off the starks dunk against the bulls. and no,jordan didn’t get dunked on, he was chillen around the dotted line. Besides, compare that dunk to when he broke down oakly and dunked on ewing? no comparison.
a Slim rasheed? at least we won’t have to hear about billups rippin on him and his weak 7′0 footer tip dunks
September 16th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
B says:
Wazzu has a football/basketball team? Haha
Its gon be all chicken something else when they play my Trojans.
September 17th, 2007 at 12:17 am
Austin Burton says:
Oh, it’s gonna be ugly. If Idaho’s passing game was carving up WSU for a while, USC is gonna gash them.
September 17th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Kudabeen says:
Is it that hard to believe that a successful person is self-absorbed. In order to achieve success a lot of the times you have to be focused on you. One persons idea of what self-absorb is can be vastly different from another’s. Bogut and Lopez are speaking from a different cultural angle. I would read their comments and say that they are smug and judgmental Europeans. These guys get in the league and are immediately responsible for the financial fate of their families and extended family that append themselves to their success. Self absorbed doesn’t really fit. Immature in a lot of their actions…maybe. Mis-educated…closer. I just don’t care to hear what guys like Raul and Bogut has to say about guys personalities in the NBA. I remember Iverson saying to Steven A., “Basketball players are really corny”
Interesting dynamic I never thought about:
Football and Baseball are more conversational sports on the sideline, where as Basketball they have to sit in a straight line like children and pay attention to the game. I wonder how the players and league would be different if the bench area was more like a dugout where players and coaches could pace a little and converse with one another. Random thought…