Sporots

[scamboogah]

Actually, I think he has a pretty fair reputation as a bit of an underachiever that is capable of winning a championship only as long as you surround him 10-deep with great players...

Perhaps you're still wearing your championship-colored glasses.

[isoS]

Which backs up my first point: why would he turn down 9mil a year for four years? That's as good as it's going to get. But make no mistake: he is a major asset to the Lakers (2nd in rebounding, 3rd in scoring, huge boost off the bench), and they probably wouldn't have won without him. Now, if Bynum gains some consistency, they might not need him, but that's a big if.

The most infuriating part is it sounds like he wanted to take the deal but 'couldn't talk his agent into it' -- which brings me back to FIRE YOUR AGENT.

[Adult Ed]

The most infuriating part is it sounds like he wanted to take the deal but 'couldn't talk his agent into it'

Oh, you mean the agent who will benefit from a percentage of the extra years on your deal but not if you sign a shorter deal and then switch agents or get hurt? Good thing he's looking out for your best interests.

FIRE YOUR AGENT.

[jesterobobman]

The thing Lamar's Camp is probably not thinking of is that For Every $ extra they add the Lakers pay 2(Due to Luxury tax), and Lamar gets $(1-Tax-Agent Money-Manager Fees-etc). I still see no way Lamar just leaves as a Free agent, Unless Portland misses on Millsap and Spends.
Sign and trade options are probably the next option if they can't keep him.

Brian Greasy
Luke Walnut

[scamboogah]

Bill Simmons talks TimberDogs basketball with Kevin Love on today's podcast...

[Trial]

that sounds incredibly fascinating, thank you

[isoS]

http://aspecialthing.com/forum/f28/dick-moves-2009/

[daveunfun]

Bucher on Twitter sez that LAL sources are saying that the team is done with LO and LO sources are saying the same. But it's just Twitter.

I don't really know who can pay him what he's looking for besides the Lakers. Do the Blazers have enough money? I read somewhere that the Heat can only give him $5.8 or so. Who else would really dip into the luxury tax in this economy to get him? Very strange that he just isn't taking the money.

Ariza's contract was weird too, with Yao out and McGrady unclear, he's really your #1 guy now? Lamar and him are just quality role players on good teams, not someone you can build a franchise around. Lamar makes sense on the Blazers, but do they have that kind of money?

[isoS]

the Blazers can give him $8mil but apparently have no interest, and he has no interest in them (both according to LATimes.com). This whole thing is infuriating.

[Shane]

Way to go, Tommy Wats, that's why your generation sucks. I hope he ran into Alec Baldwin in the clubhouse as he went for a cup of coffee. "PUT THAT COFFEE DOWN." ahhhhh, you know the rest.

[bao]

I'm not so sure the Lakers might not be better without Odom. Odom does a lot things, but none of them consistently. Also, without him the Lakers may be able to streamline their offense a little. I like the Lakers offense a lot more when Gasol is getting plenty-o-touches, and Artest is going to want his, too.

If I were a Lakers fan I'd be on the fence about this ... of course, I'm also a firm believer in defending your title with the team that won it (or as close as possible), so I understand the anxiety.

[jesterobobman]

I think Lamar wanting to always be somewhere with a beach(pretty much ruling out Portland, I'm sure there's sand there but it's not LA or Miami). $ would point to LA once Both sides go back to the table, but if not, a Sign and trade could work(Haslem and change 4 Odom). Also, the Lakers may be better as a starting lineup without Lamar, but I'm not sure they want(Farmar, Sasha, Walton, Powell & Mbenga) as a second unit. LO makes that go.

Also, Bill Simmons did a decent job pointing out levels of athlete funny. Basically, Other than 2 guys at the top, no other athlete would be funnier than one of your 3 funniest friends.

Baked Griffin (Mythological Dish)

[Trial]

Baked Griffin

Page 115

[Having Fun!]

Frosted Blakes

[jesterobobman]

Baked Griffin (Mythological Dish)

Page 115

I=Idiot. Unintentional plagiarism.

[Please insert appropriate joke. I obviously have no creativity & need to steal jokes from others]

I=Idiot.

[Having Fun!]

Don't eat yourself up about it.

[TomHicks]

This is an interesting story about how sports teams are concerned that as local newspapers cut staff and coverage, the teams are losing valuable (and free) promotion for their brands.

http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/63034

The story jumps off with an example of how the LA Times stopped sending its reporter on the road to cover away games for the L.A. Kings, instead relying on AP stories for those and thus contributing to the team's waning popularity in L.A. (I didn't even know that the Times stopped covering away games; I did notice that it would occassionally run a wire story about a Clippers away game.) Some sports teams, including the Bulls and the Mavericks, actually hired reporters to write original content for the team's web site, but since team web sites really only draw the hardcore fan, the casual fan is in danger of drifting away from the local team.

[bao]

This is an interesting story about how sports teams are concerned that as local newspapers cut staff and coverage, the teams are losing valuable (and free) promotion for their brands.

http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/63034

The story jumps off with an example of how the LA Times stopped sending its reporter on the road to cover away games for the L.A. Kings, instead relying on AP stories for those and thus contributing to the team's waning popularity in L.A. (I didn't even know that the Times stopped covering away games; I did notice that it would occassionally run a wire story about a Clippers away game.) Some sports teams, including the Bulls and the Mavericks, actually hired reporters to write original content for the team's web site, but since team web sites really only draw the hardcore fan, the casual fan is in danger of drifting away from the local team.

This process has been under way for a little while in smaller markets, where newspapers had to confront their budget crises sooner. It is a really big deal, not just for the teams, but (especially) for fans. Beat writers are really the medium by which we get to know our teams. Without them, or with them writing from home, the quality of stories we're receiving (esp. the behind-the-scenes stuff) is dramatically reduced. I mean, whats the point of having a team reporter if he's just going to write from home? Its like reading any other blog. Bad for everyone.

[daveunfun]

Losing Ariza and Odom for just Artest would be a disaster and would make the Lakers worse off next year. I'm not even sure Artest for Ariza is a good idea since they aren't the same player at all. Artest isn't quite the knockdown defender that maybe he used to be and he's going to put up dumb shots, that's what he does. Ariza knew when to shoot, he fit in well as was able to do things without the ball. I guess Ariza wanted to go to a team where he had a bigger role and he's got that now. But I see Kobe giving Artest a lot of dirty looks next year after he clanks another dumb three.

[Shane]

My new all-time favorite catch

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?....jsp&c_id=mlb#