OFFICIAL AROUND THE NBA THREAD - July 2021

[KSF-ERIC]

It must suck being a Rockets fan and seeing that a lot of the players you just had on your team are now in the finals, or conference finals:
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/te...nals-a-reminder-that-Rockets-had-16293230.php

I can’t access the article but I don’t get the premise. No Harden, Ariza, Westbrook. Sure Capela in ECF and Paul and Tucker in Finals but it’s not like they’re playing together.

I was really skeptical when Calvin Natt made his post about Hammon. But everything that has happened since then sure made CN look like he had the real scoop

What did he say?

 

[blazerkor]

I can’t access the article but I don’t get the premise. No Harden, Ariza, Westbrook. Sure Capela in ECF and Paul and Tucker in Finals but it’s not like they’re playing together.


What did he say?

He said that he has a source or sources in the Spurs organization who said that Becky Hammon has a lot of detractors in the organization. There were details but that was the gist of it.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

I can’t access the article but I don’t get the premise. No Harden, Ariza, Westbrook. Sure Capela in ECF and Paul and Tucker in Finals but it’s not like they’re playing together.


What did he say?

Had the rockets kept their guys, they'd do serious damage in the playoffs this year. Several of their former players are key components to playoff teams this year - Capela, Paul, Harden, Tucker....

Here's a list of who was on that team:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/2019.html

 

[DDolla]

Anyone getting that #6 Lillard USA jersey?

 

[DDolla]

The comments on Rachel Nichols tweet is just crazy. I won’t feel sorry about her, she’s making 1.5M a year. She will be OK

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Anyone getting that #6 Lillard USA jersey?

Link?

 

[SheedSoNasty]

Anyone getting that #6 Lillard USA jersey?

I’m guessing El Prez is going to “cop” one.

 

[royo]

This Rachel Nichols story looks just funny* from Europe, but it has some silver lining for Blazers.

You can say whatever you want, but Billups was hired DESPITE the fact, that some people think it is politically incorrect. That means he was too good professional to let him go.

*Looks funny, because same peps, that are angry about Billups being hired are the ones, that are happy about Floyd statue being erected. I guess Billups criminal records must be worse than Floyd's record.
What's even funnier, if D'Antoni would take the job they would say, that he got it because he is white and Billups black.
All in all, seeing it from Europe, mericans went down so deep into this nonsense, that common sense is nowhereto be seen.

That, again, means, Billups is good hire from my point of view.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

This Rachel Nichols story looks just funny* from Europe, but it has some silver lining for Blazers.

You can say whatever you want, but Billups was hired DESPITE the fact, that some people think it is politically incorrect. That means he was to good professional to let him go.

*Looks funny, because same peps, that are angry about Billups being hired are the ones, that are happy about Floyd statue being erected. I guess Billups criminal records must be worse than Floyd's record.
What's even funnier, if D'Antoni would take the job they would say, that he got it because he is white and Billups black.
All in all, seeing it from Europe, mericans went down so deep into this nonsense, that common sense is nowhereto be seen.

That, again, means, Billups is good hire from my point of view.

I just think it's crazy that Rush Limbaugh got fired by ESPN for saying something much less controversial about Donovan McNabb.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I just think it's crazy that Rush Limbaugh got fired by ESPN for saying something much less controversial about Donovan McNabb.

What's crazy is that Limbaugh was ever hired. And he said it ON AIR.

 

[handiman]

Being a woman gets her in the conversation, being white keeps her from getting the nod. The stars aren't quite aligning for her.

I actually hadn't seen or heard any details of the Nichols-Taylor controversy until reading the NY Times article this morning. I guess you really can't make this shit up.

I'm not sure I see much validity to Nichols' position, but the article sure does convey the ridiculousness of the current state of things which few people are willing to express publicly. Well, the Right can say whatever they want because no one cares to hold them accountable, but the Left is eager to lynch (wait, can I still use that word? we can't even call team owners "owners" any more.) everyone. It's a bad time to be a public figure.

 

[wizenheimer]

This Rachel Nichols story looks just funny* from Europe, but it has some silver lining for Blazers.

You can say whatever you want, but Billups was hired DESPITE the fact, that some people think it is politically incorrect. That means he was too good professional to let him go.

*Looks funny, because same peps, that are angry about Billups being hired are the ones, that are happy about Floyd statue being erected. I guess Billups criminal records must be worse than Floyd's record.
What's even funnier, if D'Antoni would take the job they would say, that he got it because he is white and Billups black.
All in all, seeing it from Europe, mericans went down so deep into this nonsense, that common sense is nowhereto be seen.

That, again, means, Billups is good hire from my point of view.

sure...you can look at it that way and it may turn out to be true enough

another way to look at it is that Olshey had decided to fire Stotts months ago and at the same time had decided to hire Billups, no matter what. There's lots of clues suggesting Olshey was determined to make Bilups the HC. And, from the distance most of us have, it kind of looks like Jody Allen's instinct was to give the job to Hammon, but if what Calvin Natt said was true, then I'd be pretty certain that Olshey presented that information to JA and that cleared the way to hire Billups

I'd also be pretty certain that the questions the Blazers didn't allow to Billups in the press conference were asked, probably by JA, in the primary interview and Billups answered them to JA's satisfaction...otherwise he probably wouldn't have the job

 

[illmatic99]

I just think it's crazy that Rush Limbaugh got fired by ESPN for saying something much less controversial about Donovan McNabb.

dont want to speak ill of the dead, but rush limbaugh deserves no empathy whatsoever

 

[PtldPlatypus]

dont want to speak ill of the dead, but rush limbaugh deserves no empathy whatsoever

Not talking empathy, just consistency. One guy said media covered a guy differently because he was black, another woman said a coworker got better assignments because she is black. First guy got fired, second...got to apologize on air.

 

[GoBlazersGo]

dont want to speak ill of the dead, but rush limbaugh deserves no empathy whatsoever

Let me tell you a story about Rush Limbaugh:

FUCK RUSH LIMBAUGH!

 

[illmatic99]

Not talking empathy, just consistency. One guy said media covered a guy differently because he was black, another woman said a coworker got better assignments because she is black. First guy got fired, second...got to apologize on air.

this isn't an apt comparison. rachel nichols doesn't have a longstanding public history of being a racist asshole.

 

[DDolla]

ESPN just replaced Rachel sideline reporter assignment to Malika Andrews… and the story continues.

 

[GoBlazersGo]

ESPN just replaced Rachel sideline reporter assignment to Malika Andrews… and the story continues.

This is GREAT news... Malika is soooo much easier on the eyes AND ears! Good lookin' out, ESPN... Maria & Malika is an absolutely stunning display of beauty, grace, & intelligence. Rachel Nichols can go get bent.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

this isn't an apt comparison. rachel nichols doesn't have a longstanding public history of being a racist asshole.

...of which they were well aware when they hired him?

 

[KristinthBonkers]

What's crazy is that Limbaugh was ever hired. And he said it ON AIR.

Didn’t he say that the mostly-white sports’ media wanted McNabb to succeed as an NFL QB because he is Black? I guess I don’t see what is controversial about that belief. Michael Irvin even agreed with him on-air.

Why he was hired in the first place is the real mystery.

 

[KristinthBonkers]

I actually hadn't seen or heard any details of the Nichols-Taylor controversy until reading the NY Times article this morning. I guess you really can't make this shit up.

I'm not sure I see much validity to Nichols' position, but the article sure does convey the ridiculousness of the current state of things which few people are willing to express publicly. Well, the Right can say whatever they want because no one cares to hold them accountable, but the Left is eager to lynch (wait, can I still use that word? we can't even call team owners "owners" any more.) everyone. It's a bad time to be a public figure.

Maria Taylor turned down a $5 million/year contract offer from ESPN during a pandemic. Now, after a year of economic devastation, the offer is reported to now be between $2-3 million.

Rachel Nichols makes $1.5 million and has worked there for 26 years and ESPN breached her contract by putting Taylor in as the host of NBA Countdown even though contractually it was Nichols’ gig. Of course she’s salty, I’d be too.

Doris Burke makes under $1 million/year. I have no clue who Maria Taylor is but if she thinks she’s worth more than $5 million a year and more than 5x what Doris makes, she’s delusional. Burke and Nichols are pioneers in sports TV and this Taylor took a steaming dump on all women by rejecting a contract that is no longer on the table. The arrogance of Maria wanting “Stephen A money” is off the charts.

Taylor’s team leaking the video of Nichols as a negotiating ploy is cold-blooded.

https://nypost.com/2021/06/30/maria-taylor-espn-face-divorce-after-near-5-million-offer/amp/


At one point in negotiations with NBA Finals host and College Football national championship sideline reporter Maria Taylor, ESPN offered her a raise from her current salary of nearly $1 million per year that would eventually reach almost $5 million, according to sources.

Taylor turned it down.

Taylor, sources said, was hoping to be in the “Stephen A. Smith money” neighborhood, which is near $8 million annually.

 

[tykendo]

Maria Taylor turned down a $5 million/year contract offer from ESPN during a pandemic.

Rachel Nichols makes $1.5 million and has worked there for 26 years and ESPN breached her contract by putting Taylor in as the host of NBA Countdown even though contractually it was Nichols’ gig. Of course she’s salty, I’d be too.

Doris Burke makes under $1 million/year. I have no clue who Maria Taylor is but if she thinks she’s worth more than $5 million a year and more than 5x what Doris makes, she’s delusional. Burke and Nichols are pioneers in sports TV and this Taylor took a steaming dump on all women by rejecting a contract that is no longer on the table.

I like Rachel. She's talented, knows her stuff on the NBA Front. She has paid her dues. I don't find what she said to be racist, but she should have kept it to herself. When you are a celebrity, you need to keep it close to the vest. She let her guard down.

 

[KristinthBonkers]

I like Rachel. She's talented, knows her stuff on the NBA Front. She has paid her dues. I don't find what she said to be racist, but she should have kept it to herself. When you are a celebrity, you need to keep it close to the vest. She let her guard down.

I don’t understand why what Rachel said is bad?

Maria Taylor the NBA expert didn’t put Anthony Davis on any All-NBA team last season and that’s AFTER she turned down $5 million a year. She thinking she’s worth more than $5 million a year boggles the mind. Does anyone even watch the pre-game show or watch college football for a sideline reporter? She got that $5 million a year offer she rejected for one reason and ignoring that is shameful. Maria doesn’t look good at all with here silence and now Nichols got booted off the the Finals as Taylor stays quiet instead of backing her fellow female co-worker.

https://clutchpoints.com/nba-news-m...vis-for-any-all-nba-teams-twitter-frenzy/amp/

ESPN’s Maria Taylor says she forgot to vote for Los Angeles Lakers superstar big man Anthony Davis for the three All-NBA teams, and NBA Twitter went ballistic.

 

[DDolla]

Now it gets interesting lol …..

 

[trailblazer18]

Now it gets interesting lol …..

If true, this is ridonkulous!

 

[Shaboid]

Now Woj is being brought into this whole thing. What a CF.

https://nypost.com/2021/07/06/espns-adrian-wojnarowski-latest-target-in-rachel-nichols-drama/

 

[BigGameDamian]

LeBron James Gets Mad At Announcer At Son Bronny Basketball Game & Police Have To Step In!

 

[THE HCP]

LeBron James Gets Mad At Announcer At Son Bronny Basketball Game & Police Have To Step In!

Quit posting bullshit man. You always do this. Cops where there for HIS security bro! Go back to finding your daily DOOMSDAY Covid articles to link.

 

[Chris Craig]

Quit posting bullshit man. You always do this. Cops where there for HIS security bro! Go back to finding your daily DOOMSDAY Covid articles to link.

The cops aren't the issue there. Lebrons James complaining about a commentator saying something about his sons foul call why his son was playing in Lebron James Arena is the issue.

 

[DDolla]

Yay For Malika Andrews