DoolittleBrothers

Mar

What Will Mike Brown Do?

By Brian Doolittle | Filed in Uncategorized

There is only one sporting event on Monday that has my full attention, the Spurs at Cavaliers. It features my favorite NBA team hosting one of my least favorite NBA teams. When the Spurs were better, which is most of the past 10 years, they were easily my least favorite team. It is not that I did not respect their efficient, tough and relentless style of play, it just has not been enjoyable to watch. Similar to when the Pistons were last at their peak. If LeBron James sits again, then that will severely diminish any allure the game has.

If James would greatly benefit from more rest, then it is a wise move. He would have received an entire week off. However, James seems to be indicating he could play if needed, and with the next three days off it would be fun to see him play at home. The team also would benefit from playing a tough opponent with their new players. The roster has not been set for very long and there are only 18 games left for these players to develop maximum continuity. No one from the Cavaliers will say it, but the fact they have a five-game lead over Orlando for the best record in the East, and a three-game advantage over the Lakers for the league’s best mark, probably factors in.

I cannot recall the last time I was waiting to hear about a player playing or not, but it was probably an NFL QB, maybe Kurt Warner. It is fascinating these are the exact circumstances which Twitter is ideal for. Twitter posts are picked up by Google news, so I am literally following the James story on a minute-by-minute basis – until I go outdoors to enjoy some sunshine. Supposedly, this flurry of sunshine is to end for several days beginning this evening. Then days of rain.

My household had an interesting event this morning when my daughter decided to leap out of her crib. Check that out on my web site.

Mar

0 Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-03-07

By Bradford Doolittle | Filed in Uncategorized

Latest at BBP, the Mavericks and Bulls are headed in opposite directions. http://bit.ly/cN2g12 #
Son of a bitch. It starts already. RT: @Royals_Report #Royals 3B Alex Gordon out 3-4 weeks with broken thumb. #
@nkhare Moved back up here last August. in reply to nkhare #
During Bulls kiss cam, dude just hopped up and acted like he was humping his wife. Classy. I laughed, tho … #
I'm at the United Center tonight, watching Dallas go for its 11th straight vs. Bulls … working on something, so not much Tweeting from me #
Hanging at Carol's Pub — a genuine honky tonk in Uptown. Has to be seen to be believed. #
I close out the week at BBP with a melancholy piece about what may have been Iverson's last game. http://bit.ly/d9cniL #
Join me in a few minutes at Baseball Prospectus, where I'll be chatting about … pro basketball. http://bit.ly/aFTlvm #
My latest Mizzou treatise at SRKC: Missouri's Little Big Men. http://bit.ly/bEurBi #
I'll be chatting live at Baseball Prospectus at 1 p.m. EST Friday to talk hoops. Stop by or ask your question now. http://bit.ly/aqtmlL #
Latest on BBP is my piece on the amazing improvement of Atlanta's Josh Smith. http://basketballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=963 #
At SRKC, I kick off my annual series of Royals-related rants with a slightly-annoyed overview of their offseason. http://bit.ly/9P1yca #
Just took my first guitar class. Fun, but I've got my work cut out for me. I've got zero talent in this area. #
At BBP: Musing on the Hawks, the Bulls, on winning on the road … what it means for YOUR weekend. http://bit.ly/9It4Gs #
@erivera7 But I do like the 'LeBron of defense' comment, because Dwight's defensive numbers, traditional and advanced, are outrageous. in reply to erivera7 #
@erivera7 Nice work Eddy, and I kinda agree. If DH had been bigger part of O from start, he'd be in mix for No. 2. LeBron is way out there. in reply to erivera7 #
@LarryCoon Seems like they wouldn't otherwise it'd undermine the intent of the clause, ie., to keep teams from avoiding vets. in reply to LarryCoon #
DimeMag picking new Charlotte nickname … I still say go historical: Carolina Cougars. Courtney Cox could be mascot. http://bit.ly/dxaTlz #
Somebody's excited. Me too. RT: @joe_sheehan Baseball!!! Baseball!!! Baseball!!! Baseball!!! Baseball!!! Baseball!!! #
Jim Bunning is a good example of what I think most baseball players that I've met would be like if elected to the senate. #filibuster #
Ladies and gentlemen, Joe Alexander is on the floor. First appearance since April 15 of last season. #joealexander #
A 13-2 Hawks run has spoiled what was shaping up as a good finish. It's garabe time. Acie Law is in the game. Vinny: sub in Joe Alexander! #
Well, right after I declare "big possession", Atlanta runs off six quick points. Hawks by 12. Timeout Chicago. #
Bulls don't score. Then Marvin Williams scores on a putback after Rose fails to put a body on him. #
Bulls continue to get drubbed on the glass, but Atlanta can't convert. Big possession here for Chicago. #
Through 3Q, Hawks had an eFG% under .400, but had grabbed nearly 40 percent of their own misses. #hawks #
Bulls have Rose on Marvin Williams right now, apparently trying to give him a break on the defensive end. #bulls #hawks #
Bulls finish the 3rd quarter with a flourish and close withing seven of Atlanta. #bulls #hawks #
All this Joe Johnson to the Bulls talk: That should not be their first choice next summer. #
Uh … Derrick Rose has his lift back. #
Without Noah & Deng, Bulls are getting killed on the defensive glass. #bulls #hawks #
Chicago has come out with much more energy at both ends in second half. Crowd has a little life back. Atlanta still up 10. #bulls #hawks #
Bulls using their 2s to check Marvin Williams for much of game & ATL has been posting him up. Weird to see Marvin not standing in corner #
Players that shoot free throws with their mouthpiece hanging out of their mouth drive me crazy. #geraldwallace #
Charlotte has been outscored 17-7 in first seven minutes of 4th quarter against Dallas. Only 22 points in the second half. #bobcats #
The officiating in this peewee game at halftime is atrocious. #
Hawks up 16 at half. Shorthanded Bulls look flat; Hawks are pounding the glass and sharing the ball well, as they usually do. #bulls #hawks #
Rose still looks plenty quick, but either he's not getting as much lift or he's being tentative. #
James Johnson just blocked Josh Smith's putback. He's an impressive athlete. #bulls #
Mo Evans just made ridiculous shot from behind the backboard … Derrick Rose is back in the game. #bulls #hawks #
Hawks posted a 144.7 Off. Rating in 1st quarter … grabbed 7 of their 13 misses. #bulls #
Rose just came back out. No word on if he's coming back. He was still limping, but not as bad. Don't see an icebag on there. #bulls #
Joe Alexander is actually in uniform tonight. Could he make his season debut? If this one gets out of hand, bet on it. #bulls #
Vinny is going to be tempted to go all-offense with Warrick & Flip, but problem so far has been getting stops. #
For real. Fans hadn't even settled in yet. RT: @From_The_Chi So yeah, all the energy is gone in the United Center. #
Now Rose is limping back to the locker room area. Still applying weight as he walks, but he's hurting. Hard to say how bad at this point. #
Rose is still down. Still hurting. Now he's walking off with limp, but is applyinig some weight. For now, he's not going to locker room. #
Oh shit. Derrick Rose just hurt his knee. Good night, folks. #
With this lineup, Chicago is going to be starved for points, so they need Rose to be super aggressive. He's got four points early. #bulls #
James Johnson is guarding Joe Johnson. VDN has Taj on Josh Smith, Miller on Horford. #bulls #hawks #
Bulls give rookie James Johnson his first career start tonight. #bulls #hawks #
I never realized how many CHA fans hate Bobcats name. With MJ taking over, bring Larry Brown full circle and call them the Carolina Cougars #
Bobcats are bringing the 'D' tonight. Good to see. #bobcats #
I turned on the Knicks-Cavs just in time to hear Clyde & Breen drool over LeBron. Can't say I blame 'em. #lebron #knicks #cavaliers #
@fb_outsiders Call it a Unitas. in reply to fb_outsiders #
The I'll be watching for initially is how the Bulls defend Josh Smith. Can't see Brad Miller staying with him in transition. (Or at all) #
At the United Center for the Hawks and Bulls. With Noah out and Deng hobbling, this will be a tough one for Chicago. #
Crazy last minute in San Anton … guess Bogans forced Nash to panic but it looked like he had room to get a shot off #

Mar

1 Life Rhythms

By Bradford Doolittle | Filed in Books & Writing, Diary

Yesterday was a busy day but enjoyable, and at the end of it I realized that I’ve finally settled into a nice life rhythm for the first time since returning to Chicago. I woke up before six and wrote a Five Thoughts piece for Basketball Prospectus. That took longer than it should because I spent too much time crunching historical NBA road record data, but I still finished by 8:30 or so. I did some editing for a company that I freelance for, then took Hunter for a whirl around the block. After giving him some duck treats, I packed up my guitar and drove over to Lincoln Square for my first class at the Old Town School of Folk Music.

That was fun. I’ve never played a musical instrument in my life, unless you want to count the recorders we were all forced to play in the fourth grade. The teacher, Elaine, was entertaining and helpful and much more encouraging than we probably deserved. Guess that’s part of her job. We learned the D and A7 chords and played a very, very slow version of Hank Williams’ “Jambalaya,” which consists of only those two chords. We played with our fingers, which surprised me in that I always thought it was easier to play with a pick, so in my aborted attempts at teaching myself the instrument, I’d always used a pick. That was wrong. So we strummed and made our simple chord changes and sang along with Elaine until my fingers started to hurt. I think that held true for all the other students. We then adjourned to the auditorium upstairs, where we joined with the other classes for a half-hour play-along. It was fun to at least be pretending to play music. I sat by myself in the back row, which the teacher gave me a hard time about, but I just am a back row kind of guy. There’s only like eight rows anyway. So I know two chords, though I guess I already knew them because they are the first two every self-teaching book shows you. I am still too aware that being able to strum chords doesn’t mean you are playing a song. There are beats and rhythm to the strumming, once you get up to speed, and that will be the hardest part for me.

Why am I undertaking such a project at this point in my life? Believe it or not, it goes back to writing. Ever since I went freelance full-time a few months ago, I have been expecting to jump with both feet back into fiction writing. I’ve struggled with it. I can recall the mindset you have to have to write creatively, at least in first draft form. You have to shut off the internal censor and just channel your thought impulses through your fingertips. Whatever emerges on the page emerges and you have to go with it. Chances are, you kind of know where you’re going before you start because what has sent you to the blank fiction page is some kind of story spark. However, you don’t plod through the story from point to point, you dance around it and shake it and dig around for everything underneath your initial surface thoughts. Those are where the surprises come from and that’s where fully-realized fiction is born.

I’ve reached the point where I can shut off my internal censor, but what comes out is generally not that helpful. I think I know why this is happening. The mindset you use to write journalism is very different from the creative process. I’ve written thousands of journalistic pieces by now, churning them out over and over and over. There is a familiarity to the process. Since I do so much commentary and analysis, I tend to write arguments, building my piece through various rhetorical techniques but always in support of an overriding contention. When I write fiction, I am not trying to prove anything. I’m trying to discover something. Somewhere along the way, the channels of my brain that used to guide my spontaneous prose have been blocked off. And this is why I’m trying to learn the guitar and why I’m making an concentrated effort to immerse myself in creative writing and to meet creative people. I am trying to figure out how to get back the fictional voice that I had seven years ago. That I am still a practicing journalist and editor complicates this process, but we’ll see.

After lunching on some fabulous falafel at the Mediterranean Grill and Cuisine in Lincoln Square, the best I’ve had in Chicago, I headed home tend to the dog and to do some more writing. I took off for the gym in the late afternoon and had a really nice workout. (The strengthening and conditioning of my body is another part of the rediscovering-my-inner-creative-voice process.) I’m still too heavy, but I’m feeling stronger and more energetic after only a couple of weeks of consistent exercise. I then popped into Farragut’s next door to the gym, where I had a Three Floyd’s Ale and wrote a few hundred words on my Blackberry for a feature I’m working on. I lost track of time, and had to rush outside to hail a cab. The driver took me home so I could drop off my gym bag and grab my sports coat, then drove me to Sheffield’s in Wrigleyville for Reading Under the Influence. It was a great time and I met several interesting people, all of them writers and/or lovers of literature. Going to a bar and not having to talk about sports is something I really missed.

It’s already been a long week. I had a Bulls game on Monday. There is another one tonight (Memphis) and Saturday (Dallas). Tomorrow, we’ll probably check out First Friday at the Folk school. On Sunday, I’m hitting an Oscars party at the Fat Cat with a cinema-lovers group I joined. Monday is a reception held by the Chicago Clean Air Commission, in the Signature Room of the Hancock Center. There is another group I joined–peak oil / clean energy enthusiasts like myself–that is meeting there, and I am also hoping to make some contacts and get some ideas for some writing on these topics. Tuesday is another Bulls game (Utah Jazz!). Wednesday means guitar class. Thursday is a cocktail party for media professionals at the Redhead Piano Bar in that hideous tourist stretch of Ontario Street. Through all of this will be lots of reading, writing and crunching of sports data.

A danger of freelance writing is that you become too isolated. In reality, there is no reason for me to ever leave the house. I could even have groceries delivered. I could stay in this apartment for months at a time. And given my personal tendencies towards hermitage, I have to make a conscious decision not to be isolated. This includes working in coffee shops a few times a week, but that’s just in the morning. For a long time, I was having a hard time with other parts of the day because my old habit is to wander around from bar to bar. This simply just doesn’t do it for me any more. It’s depressing as hell, to tell you the truth. So I found myself falling into the trap of staying home way too much. When the Bulls were out of town, I’d go for days at a time without wearing anything except for my pajamas. Finally, though, it seems like I’ve found some ways to re-join the world while at the same time helping me in my work. Life rhythms are hard to change, but it’s exciting when they do.

Tags: creative process, writing, writing fiction

Mar

2 Cavaliers light up the night

By Brian Doolittle | Filed in NBA, Politics / Current Events

While lamenting the actions of Kentucky GOP Sen. Jim Bunning, I suddenly caught myself reflecting on last night’s Cavaliers game. First, I am glad that I actually stayed up and finished the game. As usual, I am a little backed up on DVR watching. With my current house hunting and job hunting efforts, combined with my daytime solo parenting, that is inevitable. (And tonight is my frivolous Ping Pong night!) … But Cavaliers games are the ONE event that I try to never let carry over as I like to live in the moment with my team.

So, last night the Cavs completely crushed the hapless Knicks, 124-93. No surprise. It was really interesting to see the Cavs run (and run!), move the ball swiftly and effectively while maintaining a great flow throughout the game. With New York essentially putting up little fight, it was no indication whether the absence of Shaq will have a positive or negative short-term impact. Regardless, having a rested O’Neal for the playoffs is bound to help. Those are the games he’ll of most use anyway given the different style of action in the postseason. But it sure was nice to see “center” J.J. Hixson run up and down the floor ahead of the Knicks’ frontcourt.

Without Shaq, the Cavs score nearly four points more per game (105.4 – 101.7) but they give up nearly seven points more (101.6 – 94.5). Cleveland is now 7-1 without O’Neal; 40-13 with him.

The Cavaliers held the Knicks to just 11 points in the third quarter, showing an ability to stay focused and allow the key players to sit out the fourth. Cleveland already led the NBA in margin of victory (6.9). Some odd numbers from the game:

– NY managed to lose by 31 while only having 12 turnovers.
– The Cavs outrebounded NY a whopping 60-31
– It is rare for a team to make 50 or FGs in one, no-overtime game. CLE went a sizzling 51-for-90
– LeBron James had a +39 on the night

All in all, it is enough to allow me to not fret over Bunning’s one-man filibuster of a bill that would extend unemployment benefits for millions of jobless Americans, help those using COBRA and many other timely issues in these rough times that require swift action.

Tags: NBA

Feb

0 Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-02-28

By Bradford Doolittle | Filed in Uncategorized

Rushing the court is lame every time. #
Perimeter guys that can't shoot free throws are a killer. #
Pokes are melting down #
Great time last night, now with a head like a soaked grapefruit, I settle in to pretend like I'm writing and to watch last night's NBA. #
Belushi may not be here, but Second City is still FUNNY #
Excellent playcalls in last minute for the Bulls. Rose as a decoy … brilliant. Just when you think that team has turned a corner. #bulls #
I think Brandon Jennings has the basketball version of Steve Blass Disease. They may have to convert him into an outfielder. #
Depending on what source you use for his birthdate, today might be Chopin's 200th birthday. Or it might be March 1. Happy 200th Fred! #
From BBP: Stray thoughts from last night's Bulls-Sixers game. Five of them actually. http://bit.ly/a3j0WW #
How did that UCLA team with Collison/Westbrook/Love/Mbah a Moute ever lose? #
At BBP: Joe Sheehan returns! RT: @joe_sheehan Maybe I'll try this "writing" thing. http://bit.ly/9LZT1C #
My latest at SportsRadioKC.com: When in need, Tigers turn to Dixon. http://bit.ly/d0Y4zS #

Feb

0 TNT could do so much better

By Brian Doolittle | Filed in NBA

Though they were slightly more tolerable on Thursday night than usual, I am very frustrated about the quality of Inside the NBA on TNT. I do respect Ernie Johnson, who does his best to hold the show together, and does so admirably. He tries to maintain a serious tone and consistently deliver useful information and observations. I am not a fan of Kenny Smith, though, at times, he can be mildly insightful. But, an ex-player of his caliber and experience should be insightful, if not always articulate. Smith can communicate just fine, but he “plays” down to Charles Barkley too much.

When Smith falls apart and engages Barkley in frivolous dialogue, it can be maddening. They often have long-running inside jokes that no one can figure out. There is nothing wrong with going off on humorous tangents, but these guys just are not very funny. Smith also blurts out things like, “Nate Robinson is like Eddie House on steroids.” You probably should not say that. Also, Smith’s insistence that Boston is better than Cleveland is way off. You only need to watch the games, and break down the league’s offensive and defensive numbers to see that.

It is Barkley that annoys me most, though. It is clear to me that he sometimes drinks on the job, which is fine. He just does not handle it well, especially during those late bad games they sometimes have. Whether be that or just his mood, the show is always off the rails during the second half of a doubleheader. I do not hate Barkley, mainly because every once in awhile he does something or says something really funny. Not often, though. I have nothing against ex-players as analysts, but these guys are not performing well and, at times, are disrespecting the viewing audience by acting like goof balls.

Tags: NBA

Feb

0 Looking For That Workman’s Groove

By Brian Doolittle | Filed in Philosophy

My pesky desire for everything to be orderly is being tested. I am looking for a job, which is a very messy undertaking by nature. When you factor the lists of places to contact, people to contact, job search web sites, job interviews, following up to emails, following up from meetings … you are faced with processing a ton of information. Besides digesting and tracking a persistently high volume of details, I am also thinking about what I really want to be doing next, what impact that may have on my family and how the impact of certain micro-decisions may effect the larger picture. It can be very taxing and deflating. I want to choose a job from a list at the “job place”, then start working when I am ready. Does not quite happen that way in our messy culture. Yet, I have adhered strongly over the past 19 years to the philosophy that change breeds progress. Change is exciting, often cleansing and can be a real buoyant occurrence when done on your own terms.

If the job market was not so dismal, then that would help. But I hope to have some news relatively soon. While looking for something more stable, I am in discussions to have my own Saturday NBA radio show here in St Louis. I would like to at least give it a shot and see what happens. In the meantime, I am starting to write again and that is good. I even will have some published articles soon about my experience solo parenting during my lay off from work. I also should have my own web site ready this week. But it really is difficult to achieve and move forward during the most unforgiving month of the year. February is plain rough. At least the NBA All-Star break has passed … that was rough! Need sports at the end of the night to provide solid balance and fleeting frivolity.

Feb

0 Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-02-21

By Bradford Doolittle | Filed in Uncategorized

They flashed up Vince Vaughn and the spectator was … Vince Vaughn. He held up a Derrick Rose jersey and drew quite a loud response. #
They were doing one of the scoreboard things, where they show a celeb, then a spectator that resembles the celeb … #
Joakim Noah will test his gimpy left foot tonight, but won't start. #bulls #
From SRKC: Utah could be Pac-10 bound. http://bit.ly/abdtCV #
@dbackdad we'll work on that, tho pdf of the book reads pretty well on BB in reply to dbackdad #
Jazz have 27 assists on 33 made field goals. #
Downloaded the new Kindle for Blackberry app today … It's sweet. Have Shakespeare's complete works & Tropic of Capricorn so far. #
Ugly game. RT: @HPbasketball Nice win for the Heat without Wade. Terrible loss for the grizzlies. #
With under 3 min to go in 2Q, Jazz have outscored Golden State 28-2 in the quarter. #
If one night is any indication, Jamison is the worst deadline pickup, not the best. Luckily, it's just one night. #
RT: @tribjazz O'Connor: "We had three or four players that were competing for minutes and we were able to turn that into a future asset." #
RT: @tribjazz Ronnie Brewer to Memphis for protected first-round draft pick in 2011. #
RT: @KDonhoops BDL on the three-way, in which I call @DMorey a "chump" and a "bastard." — http://bit.ly/d3OYGt #
RT: @MrMichaelLee Zydrunas Ilgauskas's agent, Herb Rudoy, said he would like to get a buyout but hasn't heard back from WAS yet. #
RT: @sam_amick 2012 protected to 10 RT @kpelton: Any word on protection on New York picks? #
At BBP Unfiltered: Bulls swing a pair of deals. http://bit.ly/dqPLF3 #
MU vs. UT resulted in 36. RT: @JohnGasaway Oklahoma vs. Colorado last night in Boulder resulted in four offensive rebounds. Total. #
We're chatting live at Basketball Prospectus: http://basketballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=932 #
Where did this come from? Cleveland Plain Dealer: Chris Antonetti expected to replace Mark Shapiro as Cleveland Indians GM #
At BBP Unfiltered: Following up Mizzou's win over Texas. http://bit.ly/bQNHwm #
At BBP, join us for trade deadline chat beginning at 11 a.m. EST and going all the way through the final alarm. http://bit.ly/ccYbrQ #
Early at BBP: Slipped in a Prospectus Hoops List. http://bit.ly/cfC6LL #
NBA season high for off. rebounds is 14, by Joakim Noah. #
Taj Gibson has 11 off. rebounds w/ 2:10 left to go in the 3Q — 16 rebs overall. #
@dbackdad More Alex English, but I liked Kiki, too. in reply to dbackdad #
Oh my. Bernard King at The Garden. Still my favorite player of all time. #
@kpelton Ah yes, the suspended list. in reply to kpelton #
Some saying Skinner isn't in WAS-CLE deal, but I've still got Wizards with 16 players … unless I missed something, another move is coming #
Hope so! RT: @LarryCoon Reasonable bet. RT @bennyaziz: @LarryCoon i bet Wiz end up releasing Big Z and the Cavs pick him back up #
RT: @kpelton If the Cavaliers aren't trading Hickson, they're suddenly flush with PFs. Jamison, Varejao, Hickson, Powe coming back soon. #
Oh, my poor spreadsheet RT: @WojYahooNBA Cavs get Jamison, Telfair, Clips get Gooden, Wiz get Illgauskas, Thornton, Skinner, Cavs 1st pick #
If Z goes, I'll feel bad for him … 13 years in Cleveland, then gets dealt with a championship possibly right around the corner. #
@bigleaguestew Yes, if I were a different person … had a similar situation at the coffee shop this morning with an overbearingly loud guy in reply to bigleaguestew #
At BBP: Setting up tonight's key matchup between Texas and Missoui. http://bit.ly/b1M2TA #
Yes! RT @KCJHoop: Bulls management has told Salmons to remain at team hotel as it works to finalize a trade. Won't play vs. Knicks. #
Yeah, I got to see Darko not suit up for the Knicks one last time last night. Anybody know who is depicted on the tattoos on his back? #
From BBP: Thoughts on last night's Knicks-Bulls game. http://bit.ly/de7jUA #
Interesting take. RT: @HowardBeckNYT And to add to Knick fan angst: Winner of TMac trade might be Utah Jazz: http://nyti.ms/c8Mxz0 #
RT: @Coach_D_Antoni I think Nate will be great in Boston…if not on the court at least as a pitchman for Dunkin' Donuts munchkins. #
RT: @alanhahn Nate Robinson trade with #Celtics done, I'm told. Getting details now….. #Knicks #NBA #
From BBP: Checking in on the development of the Knicks' Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler. http://bit.ly/awKOur #
@mellinger Sam, don't tell me you're a Strat player? Teahen should have been a 4, IMHO. in reply to mellinger #
Coffee house I'm at is playing vintage Patti Smith which fills me with anticipation because I'm going to her reading on Sunday #
Stipo! RT: @MattFulks Interviewing former #Mizzou great Steve Stipanovich. #
Brian's impressions from a Mizzou recruiting soiree. http://doolittlebrothers.com/?p=372 #
Sad news on the passing of former pitcher Jim Bibby. For NBA fans, Jim was the brother of Henry and uncle of Mike. #
VDN says DRose's hip was sore and could limit his time in return match tomorrow in New York, tho he's expected to go full bore. #
Entering game, only the Pistons & Nets were worse-shooting teams than Bulls. T/ 3Q, Chi had 95 points, a .682 eFG% and a 135.4 ORtg #
Bulls up by 28 with under 11 to play … given his recent health, I wouldn't be surprised if Rose sits the rest of this one out. #
@BullsBlogger What is their beef with Gallo? in reply to BullsBlogger #
Bad start to stretch run for Charlotte. Where was that trademark defense? #
Rose now has 25 points on 15 shots tonight–he's 1-of-1 from the line. Very effortless. He looks like he could score every trip. #
Chicago puts a .670 eFG% in 1H despite going 1-of-6 on 3-pointers. Bulls were 28-of-38 inside the arc. #
Bulls' 64 points in the first half came far too easily — too many shots at the bucket for a team addicted to jumpers. #
On Unfiltered — Quick thoughts on George Karl. http://bit.ly/9axhjc #
That Ebert. RT: @ebertchicago For Lent I am giving up eating and drinking. #
RT: @ebertchicago For Lent I am giving up eating and drinking. #
On Knicks' last in-bounds, they missed Gallinari uncovered in the far corner. D'Antoni looked disgusted. #
I think Chris Duhon is having just a little bit of trouble staying with Derrick Rose. #
No Noah for Chicago, no Nate Rob for New York, draining some of the fun quotient from this game for both sides. #
Terrible. RT: @ChrisMannixSI ESPN reporting that George Karl is facing another fight with cancer. #
Talked to Danilo Gallinari a little while ago. That guy looks like a really tall 14-year-old. Maybe I'm just getting old. #
@CoachMacri What would you like to see them add? in reply to CoachMacri #
@kpelton If that's what's on the table, then fine, but I'm skeptical. in reply to kpelton #
For one thing, Houston doesn't have to take on money unless there is significant future value. They can just let McGrady expire. #
I just can't see Houston taking on Jeffries, but I've been wrong before. RT: @KBerg_CBS McGrady Update. #NBA http://bit.ly/aXExI3 #
OK, NBA GMs, let's start turning rumor to reality. #

Feb

0 Missouri Football Recruiting Night in STL

By Brian Doolittle | Filed in College Football

Last Thursday night a friend and I attended the University of Missouri’s Football Recruiting Night in St. Louis, which was a new experience for me. Not sure why these events have had no appeal to me in the past, but I saw this as a neat opportunity to listen to the MU staff in a relatively intimate, loose setting while learning exclusive facts about 23 individuals I had nearly zero knowledge of. Plus, this is the highest ranked recruiting class (21st) in Mizzou’s history, surpassing the class of ’08 (24th). For what that is worth. I do remember a player named Tony Van Zant.

Of these 23 new recruits, nine are from Texas and it is fascinating how this Texas pipeline works. Well, not so much how it works but how well it is working. Thankfully, the recruiters that Mizzou is relying on have an impressive stronghold and reputation within the scared confines of Texas high school football and this source of talent is not likely to dry up anytime soon.

I admit that the entire topic and related hoopla surrounding recruiting has been one of the very few aspects of sports that has never drawn my interest, but I realize the impact it has and how necessary it is to pour vast school resources into it. Not much about recruiting is that interesting from a fan’s perspective. But listening to the coaches talk about each player and then seeing video highlights of each player is different. It’s not just some name on the Internet, but a real character who you envision taking Faurot Field soon. Plus, the video screens were really nice, though some of the high school footage was poor in quality.

There were several highlights from these high school football fields in Texas that kind of blew your mind. It looked like D-1 football, or an episode of Friday Night Lights. Which makes sense, but … wow.

It was the video highlights of each recruit that was my highlight of this event. The social hour was enjoyable beforehand, featuring beer, wine and everyone trying to edge close to Mike Alden, Gary PInkel, the assistant coaches, etc. I will say that the facility hosting this event (Edward Jones) was immaculate, spacious and easy to navigate. Typical corporate setup.

Gary Pinkel’s speech was fun to listen to as he (kind of) let loose just enough to make you realize he does have a sense of humor and is not always so robotic. He did stress how bad things were when he started, which was a bit of a shot at the previous regime, but that is fine. He has done a great job and has earned that right.

About 10 assistant coaches marched to the podium to discuss the 2 or 3 players they were involved with, so that variety was nice. The most impressive recruit is 6-6, 300-pound tackle Nick Damien from Wentzville, the No. 1 overall prospect in the state of Missouri according to Rivals.com. He was there and did not look like a 300-pound man. He is very athletic looking and his highlights were insane. He just bulldozed over everyone in his path, which is why he was his conference’s Offensive Player of The Year – as a lineman! That just does not happen in high school. Fellow recruit and OL Anthony Gatti (6-6, 280) from Parkway North in St. Louis will round out these bookends, along with 6-6, 280-pound Mitch Morse from Austin, TX.

The most hyped recruit, arguably, is James Franklin from Lake Dallas HS. His highlight throws were incredible, but his running seemed slower than what I’ve seen elsewhere. Could be a random fluke based on the chosen highlights. But he is certainly exciting to watch drop back and make plays.

Future playmakers WR Bud Sasser (Denton, TX) and RB Marcus Murphy (DeSoto, TX) looked great on video and the crowd’s response was a collective ‘wow!’

DE Kony Ealy (6-5, 230) is primed to be the next DE star and his video package did not disappoint. I’m sure Pinkel will squash any hopes he has of being a two-sport star, but Ealy is a stud hoopster as well. Needs to get bigger.

TE Matt Hoch will hopefully be on the same level as Martin Rucker and Chase Coffman. He’s the younger brother of sophomore OL Dan Hoch. The younger Hoch played linebacker, running back and tight end in high school at Harlan, Iowa – which is close to where Brad and I grew up (Red Oak, Iowa).

The entire event was only $5. Well spent cash.

Tags: College Football

Feb

0 All hail MacBeth!

By Bradford Doolittle | Filed in Books & Writing

By the pricking of my thumb, something wicked this way comes ...

The other night, I took Amy to a small theater in the Bryn Mawr area of the Edgewater neighborhood to see MacBeth. The CityLit Theater is located on the second floor of an old, cavernous church which has the feel of a decrepit urban high school. The theater itself is a classic small Chicago performing arts venue, with a stage in one corner of the room (it’s the floor, actually), with curtains, a few props and a raised area. The bleacher seating consists of three five-row sections. The windows are blacked over, but you can hear the buses rumble by outside and even the whir of traffic buzzing along on nearby Lake Shore Drive. You really don’t notice this except when there is honking.

This was the first production we’ve seen at the CityLit, which is a theater that focuses on classic works and adapting literary pieces for the stage. The performances were solid, with Cameron Feagin, the actress portraying Lady MacBeth, doing a particularly fine job. We saw the play at night and there were only about 18 people in the seats, which I found a perfect setting to watch a play that delves so thoroughly into the macabre. This take on my favorite Shakespeare play was interesting. Not only did they portray the murdering of MacDuff’s family, which usually takes place off-stage, but they made the witches (or Weird Sisters as they are called in the text) more omnipresent than usual, often putting them behind a sheer curtain for key scenes, as if to remind us that MacBeth is a slave to the fate they had handed him.

I’m so fond of MacBeth because it touches upon a theme that I often probe in my own attempts at literature. How do you live with crossing the line? Let’s say you have a clear ambition or desire in mind. And let’s say you know of a direct route to achieve or acquire that which you want. However, there is an obstacle–be it morality, or a wall, or your conscience, or a lack of means…whatever. You also know of a shortcut, but you know the shortcut is wrong. You’re not sure you can live with taking it, but you take it nonetheless. Than afterward, all you can do is think about what you have done. How does one live with irreversible regret?

Tags: CityLit Theater, MacBeth, Shakespeare, unadulterated genius, writing

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