AsiaticSkinsFan

IMHO, Kaka was unrivaled in World football as a playmaking midfielder for those 4 or 5 years at Milan; who not only totally dominated and took over games possession wise, but chipped in with a ridiculously high amount of goals from the middle.

Your doing him a great disservice. Whether he's still got that to that level after the injury's I don't know. I honestly haven't seen much of him at Madrid. But he sure seemed to be over the injury bug at least last year.

Hail.

*Edit* Maybe Gerrard rivaled him for influence and totally taking over games during that stretch. But Kaka just had that Brazilian style to go with it.

when I said 9.5-type, I was talking about Kaka's position on the field, not how good he is. He was clearly the best or around the best player in the world for about 5 years, or until his knee gave way in 2008.

But Kaka was a playmaker/forward type, he was almost a "false 9".

But Kaka was never a CM, you play him there and he cannot influence the game as much as he can further in front of goal. Pirlo and Seedorf the gawd did the possession and creating opportunity work for him in that Christmas Tree. I remember Brazil tried that at the 2006 world cup to fit him, Ronaldo, Dinho, and him into that formation.

and you are doing a great disservice to how great Kaka was by comparing him to that headless chicken Gerrard

Kaka, before injury struck.

It'll be interesting to see if he comes back into it after a pretty strong season for Real last term. He'll only be 32 in 2014.

Hail.

Kaka was a 9.5-type

They have players like that (altho their attacking talent is wildly overrated too) but they have stopped producing Xavis and Pirlos and instead rely on workhorses in the middle. Mexico was out passing Brazil today by a lot. Brazil can only create when in transition against top teams, a bit like Germany.

Brazil will never win a major tournament again (barring an easy draw like 2002) until they find a guy to control a match from the middle. They havent produced a player like that in ages.

Dude, I was waiting for you to make the edit, but I think you logged off. That was like shooting fish in a barrel

I honestly didnt realize it until I saw my post in here.

"Olympic Hottie" thread

10/10, lol

I never said that football isnt the toughest to analyze, I said they do the best job.

Cris Carter cant tell you about DLine play, but he can tell you if a receiver ran their route correctly, or why the DB beat him to the ball or vice versa. He can also tell you about what a DB can do as well

Thats why its better, they usually have guys who played in each zone or were a coach and can tell you the technical nuances of the game. Only baseball is close to that, but they have idiots like Tim McCarver and Joe Morgan who spoil things with their intentional ignorance.

Basketball, they have Magic Johnson on the ESPN crew and the TNT crew is just for entertainment (altho they are really good when they are analyzing plays and movements).

Because of how complex the game is, you need analyst who can explain those complex things. I think the networks do that better with football than any other sport. But because of how complex it is, its really difficult for a person who is not indoctrinated in a culture where football is big to really understand things.

and most football writers dont know much about the sport either. Thats why they stay in the background with spreading stories of gossip or player transactions. Outside of the geeks at Football Outsiders and others who base everything on statistics, actual analysis of football from writers is sparse at best.

the NFL is the best presented sport on television. They try everything on the NFL first. NFL attendance is down because of how awesome it is on TV.

I dont care much about the writers, I care about the TV coverage. ESPN and NFL network do a great job of covering the game. My only issue is when they harp on players showing emotions and some of the ex players start being hypocritical. But as analysts, they have it better than every other sport.

takes too long with nothing actually happening is what I meant. There is so much inactivity in football, its why I dont enjoy watching it at a stadium.

I disagree about the coverage football gets in America. It gets great coverage, probably better than every other sport. The analysts are better, better analysis, and they master the cameras.

but its way too complicated and nuanced if you havent grown up in the culture.

The other issue with football is that it takes too long.

Go Team USA! Sorry FrFan.

I wonder if Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan got into a little tiff in the showers post game that ensued in sexy wrestling?

if so, I hope Alex Morgan fought off her advances.

According to Dan Rafael, Canelo is now fighting Josesito Lopez on CBS.

I don't like the matchup. Size difference will be enormous. Lopez is a natural 140lb'er, he couldn't even get to 147 when he fought and stopped Ortiz, now he's supposed to fight at 154? It also bypasses a few fighters at 154 who have earned their shot. Hope he makes a good payday, but he's backing himself into a corner. Should be a fun fight as long as it lasts though.

its a horrible fight... the protection of Canelo continues.

I will be watching Martinez/Chavez that night.

well Kevin Love does have an opt out clause after 3 years, so...

I think the T-Wolves were never totally on board with Williams to begin with. Speaks volumes that they're already trying to move him...and another red-flag should have been raised when they wanted Javale McGee + #6 for the #2. Which we obviously turned down.

Williams has no position

they basically drafted SuperCoolBeas 2.0

I am still perplexed by the hype Williams got last year like we hadnt already seen that story

And the NFL analogy is off, Gaines Adams (RIP) was traded after his 2nd year. There are other examples, but he is the first one that came to my mind.

Big market doesn't mean "where players want to play". It means a large media (TV in particular) market. Miami has not traditionally been a place "players want to play" either. Lebron and Bosh are there because of Riley and Wade not because of the city of Miami.

in NBA terms, it absolutely does.

If the Wizards and Hawks ever got their front offices together, those would become destination cities too. NBA players want to play in a big city and/or if the weather is nice and/or there are a lot beautiful wimmenz. Miami is a destination city (which is probably the term I should have used, in fairness).

Minnesota has the same size market (thanks GACOLB) but like you said isn't considered a prime destination for players. The number of households with TVs isn't what makes a franchise great.

I never said that.

I dont consider the Knicks to be a great franchise, but when they finally got cap room players wanted to play there.

As for your earlier statements surrounding JLin... you really think that story doesn't get covered in Milwaukee? I think an over night sensation that takes his team from out of the playoff hunt and puts them right back into it is a major news story no matter what city he plays for. He averaged 20.9pts and 8.4assists in January Could you kindly point out the last time the NBA has seen a complete after thought of a player popped up and put up those numbers?

well I never said he wouldnt get covered, I said he wouldnt become a huge star. Flip Murray had a similar run in Seattle in 2003 (or 2004, I cant remember, tbf) and it barely got national coverage. When Lin had that run and I had to remind people that Flip Murray blacked out just like that at the start of that season when Ray Allen was injured, people looked at me like I was speaking Spanish, lol. Jeremy Lin would not have been as big of a star were it not for the NYC media. The fact that such an average player is even thought of in that capacity shows the power of that media.

The fact that he was Asian (China is a big media market) made an already incredible situation that much more news worthy. He would have been a news story in any city that had a team battling for a playoff spot.

you have changed my words. I never said Lin would not have been a story, I said he wouldnt be a star player like he is now in Milwaukee.

Im not redefining what a big market is. Miami is a big market, or a place where players want to play. And Detroit was major back then, its a cesspool now where no one wants to go.

Minnesota wont be signing any big time free agents any time soon.

7 of the last 14 NBA titles have been won by media markets outside the top ten.

Lakers 5

Dallas 1

Boston 1

San Antonio 4

Miami 2

Detroit 1

Times change, there is no more Celtic, Laker, and Bulls dominance (which is why major markets have dominated). My point however was that the players themselves are reaping the rewards. Winning + good agent > media market.

Detroit was a big market at that time. Its a cesspool now, but it was big back then and they were able to sign decent free agents.

Miami is a big market in NBA terms. No taxes and South Beach.

I already mentioned San Antonio

And Jeremy Lin is a huge star right now? If he had that run in Milwaukee, it doesnt get 1/10th of the coverage.

And its not times changing, lol. Celtics and Lakers are still two of the best teams in the league. Wake me up when Minnesota has a chance or Milwaukee or Sacramento or even New Orleans. The NBA has always been like this.

What penalties? The only major contract thy have today is Dirk. After him they have two stupid deals with Haywood and Carter. They have plenty of room.

this is AFTER they didnt pay those other guys.

I agree those contracts to Haywood (they gave that out before the CBA, iirc) and Carter were stupid but Chandler will be a bad deal in the future as well.

here is a look at the penalties

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q21

They had a chance to sign him after the CBA and still chose not to worrying about cap space. Since then they've shed Butler, Terry, Barrea, Chandler, and Kidd. The new cap penalties haven't even kicked in yet.

But the luxury tax penalties will kick in 2013

Chandler signed a 4 year deal so thats 2 years under the harsh tax at 14 million a year for a center who relies on his athleticism but has been injury prone in his career.

That contract is going to look really bad within a year or 2 for the Knicks and they will not be anymore closer to an NBA title.

And on top of that, Tyson Chandler would not have made the Mavericks an NBA title team again. That was a lightning in the bottle type of run.

Barrea got overpaid in Minnesota too and really isnt that good.

I am not saying that the Mavericks didnt take an L this offseason, but I understood why they did it. THey had to get young.

BTW let's talk about this major market nonsense. Anyone think Melo and Amere are more famous nice moving to NY? If anything I feel like the Knicks are the NBA's least respected significant team. Meanwhile OKC is shining and Kyrie Irving is "getting buckets" on my TV in an old man suit. I think the entire concept of it being worth it to play in a major media market is crap manufactured by the media themselves.

Miami is not a large market, either, people just pretend it is.

no it isnt.

Go through the history of NBA champions. You have outliers like San Antonio (who some how got derided for being boring) and then Milwaukee. The rest are big market teams.

The Knicks stink and have an overrated history but players wanted to go there after they finally got some money.

Yes they could. They chose not to in order to have space for a major signing.

no, they couldnt afford it

they were already over the cap last season and no one knew what the CBA would be. With the luxury tax penalty, that Chandler contract would have been very high. ON top of that, Chandler's contract will be very bad in a couple of seasons and Dallas was not going to repeat.

I posted a similar observation in the nba thread. No DWill and Howard doesn't look likely... Why didn't they keep Chandler again? I think they screwed themselves.

they couldnt afford him

Oh yeah, good luck to the SPL clubs now you've disgracefully removed one of your two cash cows that's single-handedly kept yers all in business for years.

Let's see how prosperous your all going to be now. Enjoy it whilst it lasts, as you most certainly will reap what you sow.

And that's about as polite as I can be on this without getting a ban. A LONG ban.

Hail.

there is a lot more to this than just kicking Rangers out

First, this is a new Rangers

Second, the club was financially insolvent. While Rangers may be a cash cow for the SPL, they didnt pay their taxes and were not able to.

Third, why should a club that could not pay its debts stay up? That is as bad as what City and Chelsea do.

I actually applaud the SPL clubs for that.

as for RVP leaving, as an Arsenal fan I knew it would happen last August.

I dont believe a word Chris Broussard is saying. He is the new Peter Vescey

Emmanuel Stewart beleaves Julio and PAC could be juicing?

http://www.boxingscene.com/emanuel-steward-still-suspicions-about-chavez-jr--54585

water is wet.

We all know Manny is afraid of tests, and Chavez just does whatever he wants with no repercussions when it comes to drug tests.

I'm sorry, but I don't but for an instant that DC's nightlife would make T-Rob prey. He's cut from a VERY different cloth than a bonehead like Blatche or a headcase like another DC Native in Mike Beasley. JUST because he's from DC doesn't mean he'll fall victim to the club scene here in the city. He's responsible and mature beyond his years...on top of it all, the guy takes basketball VERY seriously. For just about any local guy who has the chance to be drafted in the city their from or near, you could say the same thing - "oh, there might be distractions etc etc..." However, I think having a level/good head on your shoulders goes a long way with how you'll turn out as a pro and in the long run, those distractions etc. won't matter. Robinson would have done just fine here....and I hope he has an AMAZING NBA career that lasts a long time. He deserves it.

We were saying this about John Wall too... Then he went to Love the first time

I'm joking about TRob being distracted by the night life, but the DC night scene is undefeated.

I actually think more of the local people he know would be a distraction tho, more than the clubs.

---------- Post added July-1st-2012 at 10:47 AM ----------

Kill moe...you know TCB wouldn't go on before midnight.

And TRob would be waiting, on MLK day weekend, knowing we got a game at noon

Unless Anthony Davis gains 20 lbs, I dont think he is going to win ROTY. It will be Jeremy Lamb, IMHO.

I kinda wanted TRob, but I guess the trade, plus having Booker, Vesely, and Singleton made that impossible. The idea of getting the best shooter in the draft is appealing.

TRob would be a bust in this area. Im convinced. The DC nightlife is too much, and he is local. Might see dude at a TCB concert in Capitol Heights right before a game.

Barnes has no problem creating space for himself. It's a strength of his. He's no more stiff than Danny Granger or Luol Deng are.

Barnes will thrive in an up tempo system where he gets to camp out around the line and get to shoot open mid to long range jumpers all day in GS. They space the floor as well as anyone and it plays right into his offensive wheelhouse.

Granger is a lot more fluid than Barnes. And comparing him to Deng? A not very good offensive player? cool.

He'll only get a lot of minutes if he actually earns them. I have no faith in his ability/drive to do so on a loaded team like OKC.

Since when has the low IQ/no motor talent ever been a bad bet to fail in the NBA? I'd bet I'm right and you're wrong. I bet he doesn't even meet the low expectations of "long term productive role player off the bench."

I think every NBA player has to earn their minutes, so you arent saying anything there.

And I question if Jones has a low bball IQ. I really think a lot of the problems he had were down to the clown coaching at Baylor. And now with Durant and Westbrook in his ear, plus going 30th in the draft, I think he is going to be a good player off their bench.