The End of the Warriors Losing Era

December 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Winning has not been the norm for the Golden State Warriors. They’ve been to the playoffs only once in the last nineteen years (dubbed the “We Believe” season), which is shockingly bad considering that 16 of the 30 NBA teams find their way to the playoffs. It takes a very special combination of selfish players, apathetic coaches and ignorant ownership to evade the playoffs as long as the Warriors have, but it looks like that era is over.

The Warriors are among one of the hottest teams in the NBA and have proven that they are a contender because of their chemistry, consistency and coaching. Golden State went 6-1 on their recent, grueling road trip where they picked up wins in Brooklyn, Miami and Atlanta. Warriors PF, David Lee, also was named Western Conference Player of the Week.

So why are the Warriors performing? What’s changed? In short, everything.

The ownership has done a lot to reinvent the identify of the team. They bring NBA experience and a desire to win. They also brought in Mark Jackson, the right head coach for the job.

Jackson played in the NBA for 17 years (playoff appearances in 14 of those seasons) and knows what it takes to be a winner. Before coaching the Warriors, Jackson was an analyst on the YES Network and ABC. To give up a cushy studio job and subject yourself to the stress and criticism of being a head coach shows that he has the drive and determination to turn the Warriors into a force to be reckoned with. Oh yeah, he also taught Golden State defense and rebounding. Finally.

The composition and dynamic of the team has also changed. And by that, I mean the Warriors are actually functioning like a team. The Warriors have no super stars on the roster, but they do have a bench that steps up every game. Ex-Warriors, like Baron Davis and Monte Ellis, played for themselves more than they did for the team. While they were talented players, they didn’t make their teammates better and their style of play improved their personal statistics – not the team’s record. It’s great to see a NBA team represent in the Bay Area.

The season is still early, but it is already clear the Warriors are a completely renewed franchise. Golden State has finally transitioned from “believing” to “achieving”.

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Will the A’s be “Sexy and Cool” with ‘Hiro’ in 2013?

December 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Since Stephen Drew signed with the Boston Red Sox the A’s were in serious need of a shortstop. They ended up signing Hiroyuki Nakajima from the Seibu Lions from the Japan Pacific League.

‘Hiro’ has impressive batting statistics with a .310 average and quite a bit of pop for shortstop (over 100 home runs). Before you start drooling all over yourself I need to remind you that these statistics rarely transition from Japan to the MLB. Also, he is error prone. Either way, Nakajima has a high upside and, more importantly, he wanted to be an Athletic.

When asked why he signed with the A’s he said, “Billy Bean is extremely sexy and cool.”

His loose, fun-loving attitude seems like a great fit with the clubhouse. Let’s hope that Nakajima will follow in the footsteps of Cespedes and be an international sensation representing the green and gold.

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Raiders Victory Overshadowed by Hardcore Pigeon

December 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Fans of the Raiders and Chiefs weren’t expecting much to happen on the field on Week 15 of the regular season, but we were treated with one of the most unique experiences ever seen at a football game.

At the end of the first quarter a pigeon made its way onto the field. I first noticed the bird as it narrowly evaded several of the kicks and dance moves provided by the Raiderettes. After the cheerleaders left the field, the game resumed and the fearless pigeon wasn’t interested in leaving. I immediately pulled out my camera, zoomed in as best I could and proceeded to film this gutsy bird till the end of the half.

This isn’t the first time the local wildlife have taken to the field at O.co. Back in 2009, a pigeon decided to play on special teams against the Eagles. While the pigeon didn’t record a tackle it did show more hustle than what Raider fans typically see at a home game.

There are lots of theories circulating as to why the pigeon from this past weekend took to the field. Was it injured? Was it eating the smelling salts throw to the ground by Lechler? Has Mr. Al Davis returned as a bird? Who can say for certain, but it was definitely the highlight of a game where not a single touchdown was scored.

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