Thanks for Your Concern - But I'm Safe

I want to start off by voicing my sincere gratitude for the hundreds of you who called, emailed, text messaged, Facebooked, Twittered, and FedEx-ed your deep concerns for my safety on the campus of ASU these past couple weeks.

I want to let you all know that I am safe and have not been accosted again.

For the very small minority of you who don't know what I'm talking about and who obviously didn't care enough about me to say, "hey, be safe man" or "dude, watch your back" - here's what's been going down at ASU...

Serious Question... My dog is better than yours.

Serious Questions

I recently got into a heated debate with a BFFL that didn't end pretty.  To safeguard the anonymity of my friend I will refer to him as Willy Frompson, a name that in no way resembles or sounds like his actual name. 

So I can't remember how the argument started... but really, is that important? 

I told him someday when I own a ranch in the wilderness I will have an Irish Wolfhound as my trusty sidekick.

FACT: Irish Wolfhounds can grow to be the size of A SMALL PONY.

Willy Frompson says that someday when he owns a ranch in the wilderness he will have a "cow dog" as his trusty sidekick.

Willy proceeded to give me an attitude and said, "and my cow dog will be cooler than your dumb dog - plus your dog will have bad hips when it's two years old"

I said, "Dumb - my Irish Wolfhound would eat your cow dog, so even if it gets bad hips at 2 years old - yours won't live to see 1 year..."

So there's the real question - Who would win in a fight, an Irish Wolfhound or a 'cow dog'?

You be the judge. 

J-Rich to J-Chill: Dunking, Dough.... Nuts.

I know…  It’s a corny title but hear me out. Our Shooting Guards are BONAFIDE studs. 

• For one, they both have hyphenated nick-names.  You can’t tell me that’s not nuts.
• Second, both have sick ability above and around the rim – nuts. 
• And last, to our fanatical-arm-chair-GM-collective-conscience they both have ‘dough’ as in contract issues.  Nuts again.

More nuts after the jump. Pause.

HEDO - the Party Machine

The Phoenix Suns just acquired versatile forward Hedo Turkaglu from the Toronto Raptors.  I'm excited about Hedo for lots of reasons but many are concerned about his work ethic and off the court antics after he had a horrible first year with the Raptors this past season. 

For more on what happened and why it's a special situation visit SBNation Arizona's good piece that addresses any concerns about Hedo.

In light of the whole Raptors fiasco - the funny guys at the Basketball Jones put together some funny videos - I thought I'd share.

AFTER THE INCIDENT:



AFTER THE TRADE:





GOOD STUFF

Charles Barkley to be the Suns next GM? LOL

SMH HAHAHA LOL ROFL....  say what?

Well not really... but maybe?

No it couldn't be... but it could be?



According to Dan Bickley over at the Arizona Republic it's something the Suns should seriously consider
.
Let me know what you think (that's why I'm throwing this out here) - but personally I can't stand the Chuckster. Chuck might make me chuckle... but only because of the stupidity I see in the things he says/does.   But you're right Bickley - he's exactly what we need, an immature ex-player with the reputation as the class clown.   He has a shady recent past with all the gambling issues and drunken Scottsdale trips to very important meetings with highly reputable female consultants.   But that's exactly what the Suns need right now?   Steve Nash and nearly every player in the NBA openly bash Barkley for his 'interesting' comments, but he's the guy we need to bring in?  He's the guy that will command the respect of the players and staff alike and keep some semblance of continuity in the organization?  I'm positive Chuck has his own very different and wacky ideas based on something 'terruble' that he will want to implement immediately with blatant disregard for the 'direction' the team has been trying to travel the past two years.


 Be my guest and try to convince me otherwise... but I can't be the only schmuck here who thinks this is a bad idea and that even entertaining the legitimate possibility of the Round Mound of General Managing with the Phoenix Suns is ludicrous.

Bickley writes,

But imagine the romanticism of Barkley returning to Phoenix, where he could win the championship that eluded him as a player. And this time, he wouldn't have to stay in shape to chase the trophy.

Sorry Dan - my imagination might entertain some crazy ISH... but this 'imagine' stuff is one doubie more than even a Micheal Beasley party can handle...

Do You Want to Fanta Fanta?

My work recently moved offices this month to a new building in downtown Phoenix.  With the big move came big changes - new custom furniture, a new lobby with new hi-tech IT gadgets in the conference rooms, new computers and 21 inch flat-screen monitors for all employees and the list goes on.

But of all the new improvements with their bells and whistles - only one matters to me.

 The putrid and seldom used Caffeine Free - Diet Coke (who drinks that crap?) was formally replaced with the second best non-cola soda ever to be invented by Dentists (second only to Mountain Dew). 

Fanta Orange. 

I love my job.

Actually... WE WANT BOSTON MORE. It's Been 34 Years Coming.

So this was the scene in L.A. last week - I'm sure we all remember that and much has already been said about how the Lakers and their fans are arrogant and horrible and bla bla bla and are mistakenly overlooking the Phoenix Suns.    I believe it all and I hate them with a burning passion, but guess what - I don't care about the Lakers. 

I don't care that they are the reigning champs and you know why?  Because I've figured it out.  Beating the Lakers isn't what this magical carpet ride of a season is all about, it'll be a sweet bonus.  It wasn't about pimp slapping the smoke monster and the dreaded Spurs either.

No, No.   This season is about vindication.  34 year old vindication.  I understand the long running rivalry between L.A. & Boston, but Phoenix has its own axe to grind with team puke green.
As Scott Howard took us on the journey that was the revenge tour at the end of the regular season let me take you on a short continuation of that journey - a short-bus journey that will show how this year is all about how the Suns 'want Boston' more than the Lakers.  It's our density... or what I meant to say was...

SUNS-SET

Remember when I said "I still believe"?  

Yeah... about that.

I Still Believe.

So even after game 1 of the Western Conference Finals where the Lakers thoroughly mopped the floor with Los Suns... I still believe.

I've been a Suns fan my whole life and I've been a Suns addict more recently since 2007.  I took some time between 93' and 07' to morn the devastating loss to the Bulls that year in the Suns 2nd NBA Finals appearance ever.  I was only 8 years old but I remember crying like a baby.


It's funny how the Suns first ever NBA Finals appearance was in 1976, then 17 years later they showed up again with KJ, Barkley and company in 1993...  well it's 2010 - 17 years later. 

For me there couldn't be a better road of satisfaction to travel back to the finals this year - we swept our nemesis the Spurs who had dismissed us like 20 times in a row in playoffs past, and now we face our bitter division rivals, the Lakers.   I hate the Lakers.  They are pretty  much the Yankees of the NBA. I'm not just talking about their snobbish/stuck-up/arrogant attitudes accross the board -  take a look at their team salary, the highest in the league. Over $4M more than the team with the deepest pocketed owner in the league.  There is a $16,450,211 difference between their team salary and the Suns'.

I have no doubt that if we had an extra player for around that price we'd be the team everyone was calling 'long' and 'lengthy', especially if we had Dwight Howard (who makes $15,133,800) on top of all the guys we already had.

Or lets pretend we had LeBron James ($15,799,912) - Dwayne Wade ($15,799,912)?  How about Kevin Garnett ($16,400,00)?  OH BABY.  YOU THINK things would be different?  That's a giant affirmative.  But that's not how it works and you make do with what you have.

*Not that it played a huge role in last night's no-show from Phoenix* but to add insult to advantage there is an obviously different rule book the NBA officials pull out when super-stars like Kobe Bryant are on the floor.  That has always boggled my mind.   The fool is already insanely-talented... and now you want to go and make the game easier for him?  OH, that makes total sense.

Though my hatred for the Lakers runs thick - my confidence in the Suns is what keeps me believing.  They've shown tremendous heart and resolve the whole season - I still believe they can pull this off.

'Eutychus Falls'? WTH?

Here's the scoop behind the name - 

First off, Eutychus is pronounced  'yew-tee-cus'.
 
Now let's take a look the Good Book for a brief bio on who this fool was: 

ACTS 20: 7-12

7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.

9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.

So Paul was preaching a SUPER LONG, like all-night kind of long sermon and Eutychus couldn't stay focused and died because of it... But that wasn't the end of it -

10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.

11 When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.

12 And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.

Paul then was able to demonstrate one of his many Gifts of the Spirit to the crowd by bringing the kid back to life.  This has always been one of my favorite stories in the New Testament because all too often I find myself in Eutychus' shoes - drifting to sleep and losing focus on the important lessons in life. 

My blog won't always be long-winded or talk about the important lessons of life - but there is a possibility that it might put you to sleep.  I'm just sayin'.