tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13667859655172155952024-02-20T09:01:11.948-08:00Unapproved ThoughtsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger513125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-6352689651053365522012-12-21T08:02:00.000-08:002012-12-21T08:02:02.876-08:00I thought this didn't happen<a href="http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/mass-democrat-admits-absentee-voter-fraud">Didn't Democrats swear in court that this kind of thing never happened?</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-659323929351865802012-12-19T09:31:00.002-08:002012-12-19T09:31:59.679-08:00Robert Bork and Ted KennedyRobert Bork is dead at 85. To the extent that Ted Kennedy was ever worthy of any respect after he left Mary Jo Kopechne to die in his car, he forfeited all of it with his ugly, vicious defamation of Robert Bork during Bork's confirmation hearings in 1987. The verb "to bork" is a legacy of Kennedy's that continues to haunt the nation a quarter of a century later.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-39746781042394599632012-12-10T04:40:00.001-08:002012-12-10T04:40:31.112-08:00Stephen Curry got a technical foulI happened to notice his name in the box score under technicals. What?! So a little googling and <a href="http://waterfrontbasketball.wordpress.com/2012/12/09/warrior-of-the-week-2/">this blog post came up. </a>It seems that Steph is really becoming a star. <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Coming into this week, Curry had a grand total of one technical foul
in his career. Just one. It came so inconspicuously that I can’t find a
single reference to it anywhere, other than that it happened.
Personally, I can’t remember it either. This one against the Nets was
memorable. After going down off a hard screen, Steph was visibly upset
with the referees, not only picking up the technical, but also having to
be held back before getting a second one. He was more visibly angry
than I’ve ever seen him, and he made sure the referee knew it.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
As a fan of the Warriors, I’m not a fan of Warrior technical fouls,
as a general rule. But I didn’t mind this one. There were clearly points
in the first half where he hadn’t gotten calls, and he began the second
half not getting them, as well. The Warriors trailed at the time, and
from that point on, they really controlled the game.</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-21184330317288502822012-12-07T04:31:00.004-08:002012-12-07T04:31:57.873-08:00Budget Lying in DCI'm <a href="http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/exposing-washingtons-dishonest-budget-math/">shocked, shocked.</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-77830920416599186202012-12-05T12:04:00.000-08:002012-12-05T12:04:26.726-08:00Brooks SoCon player of the month<a href="http://davidsonwildcats.com/news/2012/12/5/MBB_1205123144.aspx">He</a> averaged 17.2 points and 5.7 boards against a very tough schedule.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-90973753677133950692012-12-05T11:58:00.002-08:002012-12-05T11:58:22.870-08:00"Gratuitous, vicious hatred"<a href="http://neoneocon.com/2012/12/05/romney-derangement-syndrome-lives-on/">Neo</a> writes of the viciousness with which liberals hate and the connection to Obama. I would note that it is the hatred which binds liberals and all the disparate special interests together in the Democratic party. They have little in common, other than a love of government, and often find that they are in direct conflict. The glue is the viciousness with which they hate their chosen enemy.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Now that the election is over, and Mitt Romney has retired to private
life, I’ve noticed that many of the newest articles about him in the MSM
and posts about him in the blogosphere seem to engender a host of
incredibly vicious personal comments from the sore winners on the left.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
...</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
the hatefest goes on. Much of it is just an example of the
free-floating rage on the left, a relic of the extreme Bush Derangement
Syndrome in which they macerated for eight long years. But there wasn’t
a similar post-election rage at John McCain. Why?
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I think it’s because Obama sets the tone and the rest follow.
Obama’s campaign against McCain was neither especially vicious nor
especially personal. But Obama’s fight against Romney was almost
entirely that, and relentless too. The focus was class warfare (one of
Obama’s favorites) and attacks on Romney as a person, and the minions
picked up on the “rich white guy out to exploit the people” meme and ran
with it. They are still running, hard and fast.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
...</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The most frightening thing to me is that many people seem to have
internalized the hate. They cannot turn it off. It is not a thoughtful
reaction, but instead a reflex. It demonstrates the power of the media
in relentlessly teaching the Obama followers their talking points. Now
that the talking points have been internalized, [they] are apparently
not easy to exorcise. </blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
...</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
there was gratuitous, vicious hatred, a kind of group festival of contempt for him. </blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-10379212136747084562012-12-05T11:23:00.001-08:002012-12-05T11:29:21.708-08:00Peyton's House<a href="http://www.denverpost.com/kiszla/ci_22112708/mark-kiszla-mile-high-now-peyton-mannings-house">This is funny.</a><br />
<br />
And true.<br />
<br />
More <a href="http://photos.denverpost.com/2012/12/02/video-kiszla-says-peyton-manning-is-so-awesome-the-fans/">in this video</a>. And <a href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000104873/article/peyton-manning-asks-broncos-fans-to-stop-the-wave">this video.</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-29541782312202728722012-12-05T09:29:00.000-08:002012-12-05T09:29:42.602-08:00Zig Ziglar -- 10 quotesZig Ziglar died <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2012/11/28/zig-ziglar-10-quotes-that-can-change-your-life/">last week.</a> His 10:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
10) “Remember that failure is an event, not a person.”</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
9) “You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.”</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
8 ) “People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing—that’s why we recommend it daily.”</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
7) “There has never been a statue erected to honor a critic.”</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
6) “People don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons.”</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
5) “Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.”</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
4) “If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re scarce. If you go out to <em>be</em> a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.”</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
3) “A goal properly set is halfway reached.”</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
2) “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
1) “If you can dream it, you can achieve it.”</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-89425337589677871602012-12-04T17:30:00.002-08:002012-12-04T17:30:34.661-08:00Douhat is rightThe declining <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/02/opinion/sunday/douthat-the-birthrate-and-americas-future.html?_r=0&hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1354670722-MBEHKmGCoKuhV2WwayM8pQ">US birthrate</a> is a problem for the future. It is also a symptom of a society that is not healthy.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Finally, there’s been a broader cultural shift away from a child-centric
understanding of romance and marriage. In 1990, 65 percent of Americans
told Pew that <a href="http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2010/06/25/childlessness-up-among-all-women-down-among-women-with-advanced-degrees/">children were “very important”</a>
to a successful marriage; in 2007, just before the current baby bust,
only 41 percent agreed. (That trend goes a long way toward explaining
why gay marriage, which formally severs wedlock from sex differences and
procreation, has gone from a nonstarter to a no-brainer for so many
people.) </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
...</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The retreat from child rearing is, at some
level, a symptom of late-modern exhaustion — a <b>decadence </b>that first
arose in the West but now haunts rich societies around the globe. It’s a
<b> spirit that privileges the present over the future, chooses stagnation
over innovation, prefers what already exists over what might be. It
embraces the comforts and pleasures of modernity, while shrugging off
the basic sacrifices that built our civilization in the first place.
</b></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div itemprop="articleBody">
Such decadence need not be permanent, but neither can it be undone by
political willpower alone. It can only be reversed by the slow
accumulation of individual choices, which is how all social and cultural
recoveries are ultimately made. </div>
</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-17686301128964440462012-12-04T17:24:00.001-08:002012-12-04T17:24:07.446-08:00Nice article on Davidson's Clint MannI love <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/12/04/3706078/davidsons-big-mann-has-a-small.html">this.</a> Clint has made enormous improvement in his game since last season. Cohen and Brooks may get the starts and the ink, but Mann may have been more valuable than either of them so far this season.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-82231236759227290882012-12-04T17:21:00.002-08:002012-12-04T17:21:35.931-08:00Costas doubles down on jackassAfter having time to consider how stupid and inappropriate his remarks about guns were, Bob Costas chose not to apologize. Jackass squared.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-24814204775164995052012-12-03T04:40:00.001-08:002012-12-03T04:40:16.228-08:00Bob CostasI always liked the persona that Bob Costas projected on television. But I had no idea he was such a stupid, dishonest jackass. It is reprehensible to inject politics into a sports broadcast during a story about a player's murder/suicide. It is even worse to lie to people in the midst to interjecting your politics.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-12480963895941585352012-11-30T08:22:00.002-08:002012-11-30T08:22:31.785-08:00Super-rich lefties had a conference. Their media lapdogs averted their eyes.<a href="http://freebeacon.com/see-no-evil/">Matthew Continenti</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
If a campaign finance story is not about David Koch or Sheldon Adelson, do liberals care?</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Consider the reaction to <a href="http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=BB81FAE9-F6F5-403A-92CA-5D267A7AEED8" target="_blank">Kenneth Vogel’s important report</a> on the winter meeting of the <a href="http://freebeacon.com/democracy-alliance/">Democracy Alliance</a>,
the secretive organization of progressive millionaires and billionaires
who finance an extraordinarily byzantine network of liberal foundations
and Super PACs that operate with undisclosed “dark money.”</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
What reaction? Exactly. There wasn’t any.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The left-wing VIPs assembled at the luxury W Hotel across the street
from the White House, but only Vogel reported on the story. The
gathering did not merit inclusion in either the <em>Washington Post</em> or the <em>New York Times</em>, both of which have offices within blocks of the W, and both of which have devoted reams of newsprint to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/24/us/politics/for-wealthy-romney-donors-up-close-and-personal-access.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0">Mitt Romney’s donor retreats</a> and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/fashion/the-republicans-3-million-weekend-in-the-hamptons.html?pagewanted=all" target="_blank">various Koch-affiliated fundraising summits</a>. </blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-13707631923154644142012-11-30T07:42:00.003-08:002012-11-30T07:42:42.497-08:00Taxpayers' 4 mil for Obama vacation is small changeSome people might get upset at the large amounts the taxpayers have to pay for the Obamas lavish vacations. But that money is just a tip of the iceberg. The real news is that spending on the president's family last year was estimated to be <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2012/11/29/report-obamas-to-spent-holidays-in-hawaii-at-4-million-cost-to-taxpayers">$1.4 billion</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-73767490096779996842012-11-30T07:38:00.000-08:002012-11-30T07:38:31.134-08:00Climate Science -- if you don't like the facts, change them<a href="http://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2012/11/30/giss-make-usa-change-colour/">Paul Homewood</a> points out the way that infamous climate alarmist, James Hansen, has manipulated the facts in presenting temperature trends.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-91568073710879719642012-11-30T05:14:00.001-08:002012-11-30T05:14:21.473-08:00Yes, they think you're stupid<a href="http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/11/28/the-atlantic-magazines-5-charts-about-climate-change-that-should-have-you-very-very-worried-worried-about-scientific-illiteracy/">David Middleton</a> explains why the environmental propaganda on global warming is even worse than we thought. It's all BS, all the time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-8144273889327163472012-11-27T07:17:00.000-08:002012-11-27T07:17:07.466-08:00Warren Buffett -- dishonest, partisan hack<a href="http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/watch-what-warren-buffett-does-not-what-he-says_664022.html?nopager=1">Adam J. White</a> gives examples of Warren Buffett's own life which contradict his latest screed on taxes. It should be noted that Buffett's example is beyond stupid. Investment options include more than those which are considered slam dunks. Many proposed investments carry serious possible risks and uncertain potential rewards. The cost-benefit analysis is heavily reliant on after-tax returns.<br />
<br />
For Buffett to pretend that all investments are obviously profitable is brain-dead stupid. Perhaps he's gone stupid in his old age. Or perhaps he thinks we're all stupid.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-88157636508682052212012-11-27T07:11:00.001-08:002012-11-27T07:11:23.202-08:00Hatred -- it's what defines the Democratic Party<a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324469304578143204261655348.html?mod=wsj_share_tweet">James Taranto</a><strong>:</strong><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<strong>One way of holding together such a disparate coalition is by delivering
prosperity, so that everyone can feel he's doing well. Failing that,
another way is by identifying a common adversary--such as the "white
male." During Obama's first term, the demonization of the "white male"
was common among left-liberal commentators, especially MSNBC types. The
Post has now lent its considerably more mainstream institutional voice
to this form of bigotry.</strong></blockquote>
<br />
Of course, demonization isn't limited to white males via slanderous claims of racism. Demonization is the standard campaign tactic used against anyone they oppose.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-53203586470413014432012-11-27T07:05:00.002-08:002012-11-27T07:05:28.624-08:00Obama -- "a waste of time"<a href="http://www.jammiewf.com/2012/the-president-told-me-i-would-get-immediate-help/">Another sucker wakes up.</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
She said she was honored to meet Obama, but she is also frustrated
that she has yet to receive help from either her insurance companies or
the government. <strong>“The president told me I would get immediate help,”</strong> she said.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<strong>“Looking back on it, it wasted a lot of people’s time,”</strong> she said of the visit.</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-73468027042276562982012-11-26T13:10:00.000-08:002012-11-26T13:10:06.465-08:00Arm strength? Arm Strength?Just looked at the NFL Stats page for quarterbacks. Interesting stat. The player with the most pass completions of 20+ yards is Peyton Manning. Not bad for a washed up old man who can't throw deep any more.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-82362465160959145002012-11-25T16:31:00.002-08:002012-11-25T18:20:03.345-08:00Davidson -- GonzagaCats are big underdogs in the championship of the Old Spice Classic. Coach Greenberg says that the Zags are the best team on the West Coast and will play for the national championship. On paper, this doesn't look good. But they don't play 'em on paper. Let's see what we can do.<br />
<br />
Up 4-2 early. Can't make cheap fouls. Gotta get better on the defensive glass. 8-2. 1st media TO Cats 13-4. Doing a good job of taking it to the rack. Zags have had some looks, but haven't made many.<br />
<br />
2d media TO -- didn't press the advantage. Cz with a silly charge. Tyler has to be smarter. Can't drive into the middle of the pack. We have some serious size problems down low defensively. We can't foul every time they get it in there or we'll foul all our bigs out. At some point, just gotta make some shots. Up 15-14. Zags really making us work hard.<br />
<br />
Well, Mark Few figured out that we can't handle a full court press. Uh,oh. We desperately need a guard with some quicks handling the ball. Cz can't shoot that 3 falling away and to the side. certainly not before he's got a rhythm. Got to be smarter. Jake with 2 fouls already and nothing to show. Nike throws the ball to Coach Few on the bench and we're at the 3d media TO. Cats 18-15. Start now with a little zone. Nik, gotta move your feet. Don't reach. Great drive and dish by Tom. DeMon has to make that.<br />
<br />
JP just can't keep jumping in the air, hanging on way, way, way, way too long and then straining just to graze the front of the rim. Horrible form. Horrible result. Fundamentals and physics -- they matter. Down 21-18. Now 25-18, after DeMon's foul gives them 2 throws and the ball. That's 10 straight for the other guys. <br />
<br />
Our bigs just aren't strong enough. We can't compete inside because we're too small, too weak. Down 12. Nice take to the rack by Barham. And good defense by him. Silly foul by Brooks. Then he charges to get his 3d foul. Crap. Down 11. Zone again. Jordan shows some hops going for that rebound. And a nice jumper by him at the end of the half. Down 33-24.<br />
<br />
2 nice buckets. Nik with another good drive, bad shot. gotta use the glass. Good job Jake. Within 3. Timeout by Few. Like the fight in our guys early in this half. Zone looks better. Clint from 3! down only 2. How many of those little 3 footers can we miss?! Grrrr. Media TO sees us down 39-34.<br />
<br />
Nice move and dunk Clint. Another point blank miss by JP. 42-36. 3s by Nik and Cz. and another by Cz. within 2. 49-47. Worked a little 1-3-1 during this stretch. media TO. Cmon Cats. keep it going.<br />
<br />
Maybe we can learn to hit those baseline shots from them. They keep making, we keep missing those little shorties from the side. Good inbounds.bucket by Nik. TIED up after fast break hoop by DeMon. Started by a smart steal by Mann. 51-51. TO by Few.<br />
<br />
Ouch. Brooks gets 4th. Nik with 2 straight turnovers. Back to 2-3 zone, but they heat up from 3. 58-53 at the after 8 min media TO. let's finish strong now.<br />
<br />
Cz puts up the worst airball ever. 61-55, Cohen hits 4 throws. Down 5, Jake gets two quick fouls. Mann fouls and all 3 of our bigs have 4 fouls now. Make that Cz now with 4, Mann with 3.<br />
<br />
5 min to go and we are down 7. Another freakin 3 by them. -9. Now 7. They just assault DeMon to rip away the ball. Tenn football Vols don't even tackle that aggressively. Cohen gets slammed to the fall. We are getting assaulted now. Don't have the strength or size to fight back. Trailing by 11.<br />
<br />
2:39 down 9. Now 11. Jake gets pushed out on board, fouls in response. He's gone. Brooks gets his 5th.<br />
<br />
This is over. Let it go guys. Don't make the margin worse. 81-67.<br />
<br />
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<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-91724553261582774582012-11-23T09:41:00.003-08:002012-11-23T11:42:08.229-08:00Davidson/WVa live blog1st TO -- Cochran continues to make silly turnovers. Jake fouled because he didn't move his feet. Fundamentals. Brooks gets blocked because he didn't go up strong and dunk. A recurring bugaboo for the Cats. TK with two big threes and Nik had a nice left-handed take to the rack. Tyler really feeling it. I like all the switching on defense.<br />
<br />
2d TO -- We are going to get 5 sec count calls if people don't move to help out the dribble. Jake blows another layup. Dude you are 6-11 and one foot from the hole. Dunk the damn ball. This weak scared BS ain't gonna work. And now you have 2 fouls. GRRRRR. Brooks misses again from close. And picks up a silly foul. Elmore doesn't understand that Bob loves to push tempo. This fast tempo is fine provided we have the depth. With JP out, we will need to go deeper on the bench.<br />
<br />
3d TO -- Cats come out in zone. Mann shooting much better this year. Jordy makes HS turnover. Droney moves feet well, but WVa still too quick. Whole team needs to make this a priority in the offseason.. Gotta make the FTs, DeMon. Clint!<br />
<br />
Concern right now isn't tempo up and down as much as the intensity of every possession. WVa is making us work really, really hard just to run our offense. We aren't shaking anyone free and having to rely on one on one moves isn't a recipe for us to succeed on offense. 21-16 bad guys.<br />
<br />
4th TO -- Brooks sneaks a steal and 2. And a post up. 21-20. Mann is playing strong. And gets a cheapie, silly foul. But the previous mins were solid for him, other than a turnover. Cz nice pass to Brooks. 2 FTs. down 2. Back to man defense. May be getting a little quick on the 3 trigger now. Uh oh, Brooks is limping. down 26-22 with 4:43 left.<br />
<br />
DeMon trying to shake it off. But he's not right. Barham in for him. Mann isn't backing down on defense. Cz turnover. Dammit Nik -- pocket picked. Can't happen gotta get strong, play strong with the ball. Mann has to foul on the breakaway. Uh oh, we got foul trouble with 2 bigs and the other is hobbling. Now is when we really, really wish that Bob had focused on bulking up Ali Mackay so he could give us some mins. Could we end up trying to play 5 guards in the 2d half?<br />
<br />
Down 6 with 3:44 left. Gotta get it under control here. Barham out of control turns it over with a charge. Big off board for Cz. Poor miss on FT. Big foul on their big guy. We keep scrapping on the def boards. Cz is good at that. Nice look by Nik on assist to Cz. Cats within 3 and Huggy needs a TO.<br />
<br />
Cz with a good def board. And a 3! Tied with a min left. Cz offensive foul. crap. Good defense on that last possession. 32-30 at the half. We are playing much better than yesterday. If we can get Jake to show up and Brooks can get taped up to play, we have a solid chance.<br />
<br />
Brooks is playing. Jake shows up for 4 quick pts. 3 on 13. Grr. Jake gets 3d. Nik another dumb turnover out of control. Mann for 3! Who is that Mann?<br />
<br />
39-32 Cats. 17 mins. Gotta be smarter about the fouls DeMon. Oh Clint for two. WVa spreads and isolates on Nik. Easy layup for them.<br />
<br />
OK Cats. 1st media timeout 2d half. Up 7. Nik gets beat to the hole and fouls on the shot. I sense a theme building here. Getting physical. TK slapped. Turns it over Every time WVa doesn't isolate and go one on one is good for us. Brooks hits two throws and sits. up 8. Barham stays aggressive to the hole and gets to the line. Gotta fix his stroke. Misses. Then Cz with violation. Grrrrrrrr. Barham gets beat on drive. Nik tries a tough runner and misses like yesterday.<br />
<br />
2d media TO -- 11:50 up 43-37. Cz for 3! up 9. Clint gets two fouls in 1 second. He has four. Damn, damn, damn, damn. TK gets it swiped. damn. Cz gets a dumb offensive foul. damn. Cz gets a great off board, gets fouled and comes up with a limp. Shoots it too flat again and misses. damn. makes 2d now up 10. Cz hurting. Jake in. Nice ball movement and Jake 2. TO Huggy.<br />
<br />
7:59 left Dav up 51-40. Note -- Cz would be an 85% FT shooter is he started his FT stroke with the ball at his waist or went straight up with it off a dribble. Bad shot Cz/ Turnover Jake -- never a very good passer. Brooks gets his 4th foul. 6:43 to go up 8. TK has missed 6 straight but thinks he's hot because he hit his first 2. TO Bob.<br />
<br />
We got up 11 and got stupid on offense the last 2 mins. We aren't talented enough to win with stupid. Up 5 with only 5.45. Jake with a hook. WVa knocks us over to get a bucket no call. Jake scores. then gets a dumb fourth foul on defense. Grrrrrrrrrrr. 4.10 to go up 6. Cz not even close jacking a 3. They score. Cz for 2. 3 mins to go. <br />
<br />
Up 57-51 with 2:40. Our ball after timeout. We're on the edge of our seats and nervous/excited level keeps elevating. Let's get a good possession here guys. Execute. Strong and confident. Work for a great shot. I'm pacing now. We suck vs. the press. Can't even get it inbounds. Up 4. Under 2 mins. Jake draws a 5th on one of their bigs. Cmon Jake. Damn. Jake misses second win. Gets ball then gives it to them and they score. Crap. They press and Nik tries a dumb behind the back dribble, loses the ball. Gotta get a clue guys. We run it down and call time.<br />
<br />
Up 3 with 1:34. We've only scored 7 pts in the last 7 mins. Way to dribble into a double team Nik. Crap. We use up another timeout. 1.20 Brooks misses an easy layup because he doesn't use the glass. Backboard damnit. And Jake fouls out. They miss the first throw. Again. The Nik gets it stolen from behind. gotta be strong. I know he got smacked. Only up 1. Cz hits the 3!<br />
<br />
Huggins timeout. 61-57 with :46 sec. Their ball. Hearts stopped here. Jump ball. They get it. 29.2 secs left. They miss, they rebound, hit 3. crap. TO<br />
<br />
OK. Our ball 13.6 secs, up by 1 pt. Take care of the ball. Get the foul. Hit the throws. cmon guys. Play smart. Got the ball to Nik. Foul. Cmon Nik, do your thing.Makes one. Smooth. Up 2 with 11 secs. Make. Up 3. They rattle the 3 attempt and CATS WIN. CATS WIN! CATS WIN!<br />
<br />
whoa.<br />
<br />
whoa.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-49807433591089102852012-11-23T09:21:00.000-08:002012-11-23T09:21:51.972-08:00College Recruiting and the Pretty Girl Paradox<a href="http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/">Glenn Reynolds</a> linked to <a href="http://blog.summation.net/2012/11/the-pretty-girl-paradox.html">this post by Auren Hoffman</a> in which he discusses the 'Pretty Girl Paradox':<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The “pretty girl” is the object of desire, rare and easy to spot. For
our purposes, the “pretty girl” (gender neutral here) can be a potential
mate, a company where you may want to work, someone you may want to
hire, or an entrepreneur in whose start-up you may want to invest.
</blockquote>
For purposes of this post, the obvious object of desire is the stud recruit. Hoffman makes this interesting observation:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
When looking for a mate, everyone wants that “pretty girl.” For some,
that means good looks, for others it might mean wealth, and still for
others, an Ivy League education. <b>Most people looking for a mate are
influenced by one overriding and particular trait over the rest. In
fact, even if the other traits are negative, a person will likely go on
at least one date with someone if that key trait is positive.</b> And so,
perhaps fairly or unfairly, these Pretty Girls have opportunities not
available to the rest waiting behind the red velvet ropes.
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
But as experience dictates, not all “pretty girls” are created equal.
Some beautiful people are ugly on the inside. Some rich people are
vapid. Some erudites are emotionally stunted and Ivy League schools have
their share of the lazy and entitled. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a class="asset-img-link" href="http://summation.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8345189aa69e2017c3345fd2c970b-pi" style="float: right;"></a>Uncovering those deal-breaking faults takes time and effort.</blockquote>
Closer to the recruiting meme:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Hiring, like dating, is fraught with (frequently costly) errors. <b>
Depending on their culture, companies over-optimize one single trait:
intelligence, hard work, hustle, experience, friendliness, pedigree,
etc. </b> And that trait, like all pretty girls, is usually easy to spot. But, of
course, you don’t wait to hire someone that only has that trait and
miss major flaws.
</blockquote>
Here's an example of falling in love with a single trait. When I played pro baseball in the Pittsburgh Pirates system, Chuck Tanner was the manager of the Pirates. Reportedly, he had an extraordinary belief in the value of speed when evaluating position players. It was said by coaches in the system that he believed that he could take a fast athlete who'd never played baseball and turn him into a major league quality outfielder. Uhhh, wrong.<br />
<br />
Speed is an object of worship by a lot of football coaches as well. Note -- I am big believer is speed. Given a choice between two defensive players where one lacks size and the other lacks speed, I'm generally inclined to go with the smaller, faster player. Speed kills. But I've seen lots and lots of examples where coaches fall in love with speed where it is obvious that a player simply can't play.<br />
<br />
When I was coaching there in 1989, we had an incredibly deep roster of talent at wide receiver at Tennessee. We had several backups who would go on to be starters in the NFL. But I was shocked when a 5th team receiver that year was chosen by an NFL team a year later in the spring of 1991 in the 5th round as a projected defensive back despite never playing a down on offense or defense in college. Simply because he had blazing track speed and a football body. <br />
<br />
I've seen coaches fall in love with single traits -- toughness, smarts, hustle, size, strength -- and play (or recruit) players who weren't the best available. Always a good reminder not to fall in love with simple metrics or single traits. The answer is never as simple as we want to believe.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-78912921541082189682012-11-23T07:31:00.000-08:002012-11-23T09:23:00.081-08:00Friday DC Hoops Thoughts-- A W. Not pretty. An opponent with serious problems. But a BCS win over a program that had beaten us the last two years. Thank you sir, may I have another?<br />
<br />
-- Whoa. I had layup nightmares last night. I think Vandy just drove right by a Wildcat defender to score another easy layup. And did Davidson just miss another layup?<br />
<br />
-- Jordan Barham had a huge impact on the game. How is he not playing 25+ minutes? Barham and Brooks (and Mann) are the only players Davidson has who will take the ball to the hole without being totally intimidated. I hope that Jordan (the 6-4 freshman) will show Jake (6-11 senior) what it takes to be strong around the basket. Jake put up some really weak stuff yesterday.<br />
<br />
-- What's up with the turnovers? Vandy didn't force any. The Cats made some really, really dumb ones. Nik, DeMon -- c'mon guys.<br />
<br />
-- I haven't checked the replay yet, but initial reports are that Bob McKillop was NOT back in the locker room when Davidson employed this new-fangled zone defense thingy. If true, this may be evidence that Bob has been kidnapped and replaced by an imposter. Or maybe he had a high fever. Or maybe, just maybe, watching his defense allow guards to penetrate at will for the last 3 years and seeing that this season looks to be just as bad or worse caused him to decide to do something about it. Long-time Wildcat fans are still trying to come to grips with what they saw.<br />
<br />
-- Vandy fans at Vandymania are depressed. They have good reason. The Dores are bad.<br />
<br />
-- Davidson got a win. Badly needed. We'll take it and gladly. But we'd better be a whole lot better today against West Virginia.<br />
<br />
-- Last time we played WVa, we won in Madison Square Garden in a strange game. We gave up a world record 293 offensive rebounds, but the Mountaineers shot a negative percentage from the free throw line to allow us to hang around. Steph Curry missed a ton of shots, but came up with a steal and two huge 3s from downtown in the final moments to lead the Cats.<br />
<br />
EDIT -- oops. The last time we played Huggins was in PR and a loss two seasons ago. The MSG win was four years ago. <br />
<br />
-- Davidson and West Virginia at 12:30 today on ESPN2. Go Cats!<br />
<br />
Oops again. game is on ESPN. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366785965517215595.post-78835667887398018872012-11-23T06:40:00.000-08:002012-11-23T06:40:06.829-08:00UN Climate Chief excited about transforming the world<a href="http://e360.yale.edu/feature/un_climate_chief_christiana_figueres_talks_making_progress_on_eve_of_doha/2593/#.UK05kQ6CU1g.twitter">Christiana Figueres</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
what we are doing here is we are inspiring government, private sector,
and civil society to the biggest transformation that they have
ever undertaken. The Industrial Revolution was also a transformation,
but it wasn’t a guided transformation from a centralized policy
perspective. This is a centralized transformation that is taking place
because governments have decided that they need to listen to science. So
it’s a very, very different transformation and one that is going to
make the life of everyone on the planet very different.
</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0