The Oklahoma City Thunder laid the smackdown on the Bobcats on Monday night, winning 114-69, and negating the positive work new head coach Mike Dunlap had done with the Bobcats to start the season. The Thunder’s 45-point rout of the Bobcats was highlighted by their early 79-25 lead, which prompted DailyThunder blogger, Royce Young, to tweet: “It’s time like these where I really miss Cole Aldrich.” Hasheem Thabeet even recorded his first career double-double (!) in some prolonged garbage time. Read More »

When we look back at the record books of the modern NBA era, the 1999 season will have an asterisk. That year the league played a shortened season of 50 games due to a lockout.

The 1998-1999 season would also coincidentally mark the end of one the greatest eras in basketball: the 1990s. That winter’s apocalyptic work stoppage would serve as a bad omen for many of the era’s greats and usher in a new crop of NBA talent. Read More »

In the Land of Political Correctness and Public Niceties, three of the last unprotected groups are fat people, famous people, and athletes. Watch shows that expose and exploit like “TMZ” and “The Biggest Loser.” Listen to stand-up comics and drive-time radio hosts. Pay attention to behavior displayed under relative anonymity at sporting events and Internet discussion forums. It is America at its ugliest.

For people who fall into those unprotected groups — at least the latter two — privilege is often their only sin. For celebrities and athletes, seven- and eight-figure salaries are viewed as shields from regular human frailty and barriers to basic sensitivity. Read More »