Caron ButlerRight now it’s a toss-up between Gene Hackman’s speech in Hoosiers and a screaming fit from my high school basketball coach for the top honor of the greatest game-time speech I’ve ever heard. But I’m praying that Eddie Jordan was mic’d up after the Wiz were embarassed in game two against the Cavs. If so, that one’s going to win it all.
From Michael Wilbon’s Washington Post column…
Eddie Jordan has to be credited for taking a chance. He didn’t just make the usual playoff adjustments coaches make. He ripped his players apart. “Tore them down and built them back up, which is sort of risky this time of year,” Jordan admitted afterward. “I read them the riot act. Showed all the things they did wrong. And the next two days we told them how great they were.”
Of course this is only speculation, but what exactly does it mean to read a group of overly sensitive professional athletes the riot act? Could Jordan actually tell DeShawn Stevenson that he was playing as soft as the Pillsbury Doughboy? Could he tell Agent Zero that by forcing his last ten shots in game one that he looked like the overrated prima donna? And while he was at it, what about telling Caron Butler that he could lose 10 pounds?
Maybe Jordan didn’t say any of that. Maybe he was worse than that. Either way, whatever actually came out of his mouth sparked a fire that sparked the most important pieces of his puzzle to do what they do best. Butler went from looking lethargic and ineffective during the first two games to playing “with the rage that helped make him an all-star in the first place,” according to Wilbon. DeShawn went from clanking everything off of the back iron to drilling five triples.
Ultimately, the measure of an inspired team is how they play defense. When guarding the ball, Washington’s defenders stuck their man all the way near half court, giving the help D plenty of time to shift over. They bottled up LeBron - limiting him to 3 assists and stifled Cleveland’s passing to the point where they had only 17 total assists - as compared to 25.5 during their first two games.
April 25th, 2008 at 7:54 am
fallinup says:
The way that the Wiz were runnin’ things…I wouldn’t doubt it if Jordan held their loved ones for ransom. Or in Gil’s case, he probably just took away his XBOX 360. Either way, the Wiz were playing like the team I predicted to go 7 games with Bron Bron’s Cavs. They are better than what they showed in the first 2.
April 25th, 2008 at 7:56 am
GEE...Until you do right by me... says:
It had to be the straws for Caron.
I get my straw chew on also, so I am sure that helped the focus lol.
For real, between the coach, home cooking and players doing what they need to do and are supposed to do. Last night was what the Wiz should be doing every game.
I still think the Wiz pull this one out.
April 25th, 2008 at 8:02 am
fallinup says:
GEE, as much as i love them to. There’s no way Stern let’s them beat Bron in round 1. LOL
April 25th, 2008 at 8:04 am
E$ says:
http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhSU6N2Ly002u382NN
LBJ & Soulja Boy post game interview - lol
April 25th, 2008 at 8:08 am
georg says:
nothing beats this bobby knight speech at halftime http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw7KijRfU-c
April 25th, 2008 at 8:19 am
dave says:
they just did what they were supposed to at home. i knew it wasn’t going to be a sweep, like everyone was predicting. but i was surprised by how well they played, and how bad the cavs looked. i am now a deshawn stevenson fan. he may not be the most talented, but he’s got enough balls to step up to lebron, and he won’t back down.
April 25th, 2008 at 8:36 am
girlybballluver says:
Gee, as much as I hate the Cavs and want them to lose, I have to agree with post #3. Kobe and Lebron in the finals is Stern’s wet dream…with the guy w/o a rape accusation coming out with the chip.
But I still say SA will repeat. Let’s go spurs!!
**Man I miss Wade, I hope Miami gets it together this off season.
April 25th, 2008 at 8:45 am
GEE...Until you do right by me... says:
fallinup you are going the conspiracy theory way huh? Can’t dispute that one. I used to think the NBA was on some conspiracy stuff till that year Utah went to the finals instead of the Sonics I think.
I was thinking surely Sterny knows that people want to see the Sonics rather than the Jazz. Course the Jazz went and LOST but I stop thinking so much about conspiracies after that.
girly lol @ Stern’s wet dream…..yuck and nasty. Still yea I know he would be foaming at the mouth for that.
I still got the Wiz w/ no conspiracy.
April 25th, 2008 at 8:55 am
cora says:
he is a great player,support him.If he does good job,
many fans on a tall dating site:” T a l l c o n n e c t . c o m ” will be happy now,especially those models.
April 25th, 2008 at 9:03 am
doc says:
cora we dont give a fuck about your tall sight.Deshawn hit 3 of them treys after it was a wrap.
April 25th, 2008 at 9:26 am
GEE...Until you do right by me... says:
Leave it to doc lol. For real I kept wondering why people keep mentioning that Tall site on different pages.
Enough already. Just talk about ball. No one cares the reference.
Plus it ain’t like those that keep putting the site up is going to make me go their even if it is short.com, tallwhatever.com or smedium.net. ENOUGH!
doc said it better though lol.
April 25th, 2008 at 9:35 am
JA says:
You know what would be great? If this Lebron - Deshawn thing keeps going, and Stevenson shuts LBJ’s ass up by challenging him to a dunk competition.
Not only do we know Lebron would never agree to do it, but Dime just posted the other day the video of Deshawn not being a half bad dunker.
April 25th, 2008 at 10:44 am
girlybballluver says:
Rflol @ smedium.net Gee.
April 25th, 2008 at 11:12 am
doc says:
Yeah JA Adande but that means he’s not a half good dunker either.Somebody gotta tell them we dont care gee.
April 25th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Reed Ewing Frazier says:
dave and JA- I feel the same way I love it when players don’t back down LeBron started this crap in the first place that is why DeShawn said he was overated. I don’t care who the player is I would never back down. I love seeing Fat Chuck Barkley’s face everytime they showed a clip of Deshawn making a trey and doing the Tony Yayo hand shake. Please win game 4 Wizards I want to see more(lol)
girlybballluver- I think that would be #2 after a Boston vs L.A. series on Stern’s wet dream list S.A. looks good though plus I like watching S.A. play I’ll still can’t see how people say they boring I’ll always take team ball over a one man highlight show.
Gee- Yeah I’m with you on the conspiracy stuff Stern has an iron fist on a lot of stuff but not on the games.
KNICKS UP all the rest down
April 25th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Celts Fan says:
Girly, LBJ would be Stern’s 2nd wet dream. A Boston/LA finals is the best possible thing that could happen for the league. It’d be a close series (the Cavs aren’t good beyond LeBron and would not beat anyoen from the West in a 7 game series) and would renew the rivalry from the glory days of the 80s. Short of LeBron finding better teammates and Cleveland suddenly getting a history whose “highpoint” isn’t getting crushed by MJ, I gotta go Celtics Lakers as Stern’s wet dream, followed by LeBron winning a ring (still plenty of time for that, La/Boston has a very short window to happen) and then 3rd is ruining basketball in Seattle for some reason…
April 25th, 2008 at 11:48 am
girlybballluver says:
Yea I feel ya Celts. The Boston/LA thing was a bit before my time…didn’t think about that. I guess his poster boy will have to wait a little longer…after he’s traded to a bigger market like NY or LA perhaps?
April 25th, 2008 at 11:56 am
GEE...Until you do right by me... says:
LOL at this turning into what Sterns wet dream is..just nasty lol.
If Boston meets LA it will be some high raitings. Just think if Yao played on Boston or LA then you got all of China in on it too! Man.
Anyway I think Stern is comfy to let things play out, figuring he can’t lose this year with whatever finals. Cause he knows 9 out of 10 certain squads will be there.
Sterny is prolly trying to figure out what rule he can throw at players to change their image even more. Lets see dress, hair….what next all players are required to have tatoo removal surgery…..poor JR Smith