by John Walters
A Medium Happy 31st to Iwan Rheon (a.k.a., Ramsay Bolton)
Starting Five
With the score 99-88, Ibaka blocks Duncan’s shot and the Thunder convert into an easy fast break layup. Game, series, career.
1. It’s Over
I don’t have a Crying Jordan on Duncan Face meme, but it’s over. The Spurs lost to the Thunder last night and we’ve seen the end of the Tim Duncan-Manu Ginobili-Tony Parker era. Even if the former two return next year, which I somewhat doubt, it’s over.
Pop remains an outstanding coach, and the Spurs won’t be bad. But for the next few years the West will belong to Golden State and OKC (Kevin Durant ain’t going anywhere) while you can keep an eye on the Trail Blazers, Timberwolves and Suns climbing. To everything there’s a season, and the Spurs had a long, long run: 19 consecutive seasons* of 50 or more wins is incredible. But it’s all over now.
“GINOBILIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!” It was an HoF career, better than we all originally thought. And he was a Hall of Fame flopper, as well.
Duncan may need knee surgery. Either way, he just turned 40 and in the last week he had a playoff game in which he totaled zero points. An all-time great player, arguably the greatest power forward in NBA history (Karl Malone would have a righteous beef about that). Remember when Kobe scored 60 in his final game all those hours ago? No way Duncan still has a game anywhere near that one still in him.
*SAS went 37-13 in 1999, when the NBA only played 50 games.
2. Dearth Mall
Teens used to meet each other on line at Orange Julius, now they just “meet” each other on-line
This was the worst week for department stores since the 2008-09 financial crisis. They’re becoming the new newspapers. Earnings reports this week….
Macy’s….first-quarter income tumbled 40% against last year. Stock down more than 20% this week.
Kohl’s….Sales fall 4%, the first drop in six quarters. Sstock is down 6%.
Nordstrom’s….Misses earnings, stock down 16%.
Ralph Lauren…..Down 3%
J.C. Penney…..Stock down 8%
What’s happening? Amazon is happening. GET OUT OF YOUR DAMN HOMES, PEOPLE, OR THE MATRIX REALLY WILL BE REAL.
3. There’s Worse Advice Than This
Hayley Clauson is Gronk-o busting…..
Wouldn’t you like to be the guy who delivers a copy of the current issue of GQ to Aaron Hernandez’s cell?
4. RIP, Susannah Mushatt Jones…
Jones was not the founder of Mother Jones
…and now Emma Morano is on the clock.
Susannah Mushatt Jones, the last living American woman born in the 19th century, has died. Jones, who was born in Alabama in July of 1899, was 116 years old. She did not drink or smoke, but she did–here’s the good news, Andy Staples–eat four strips of bacon daily. Jones was before before the Wright Brothers flew their fast aircraft. She was an astronaut.
Morano
Now Morano, an Italian woman who was born in November of 1899, is believed to be the oldest living woman on the planet, but there’s probably some woman in China who’s 135 and we just don’t know it.
5. Where In The World?
Hint: Not John Wayne
Earlier this week answer: Warsaw, Poland
Music 101
Still They Ride
Jann Wenner, i.e. Rolling Stone, i.e The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, loathes Journey. I get it…to a degree. I mean, just look how high Steve Perry hitched up his jeans. But he hitched up his falsetto even higher, and you can’t knock the band’s ability, especially on this album, Escape, to write hits. Even if they’re not cool. If you’re too cool to listen to Escape, you’re too cool for your own good. This is one of four songs off the album to make it into the Top 20 on the Billboard chart in 1981, none of which is “Stone In Love,” which is at worst the album’s second-best tune.
xxx
Where in the World – Trump’s backyard?
Kinda bold there on KD’s future. Whadda I know – I thought Sweet Pea wasn’t “going anywhere” back on 2014. What if KD goes to the Spurs?! That will decimate both your predictions (KD & Spurs future). OR maybe he’ll do a 1 year deal & then he & Westbrook will together go to the Lakers next year? I must admit, even though I snarked the other day at all those who immediately wrote off the Thunder after Game 1, that I’m surprised too. After all, as the NBA media NEVER FAILED TO REMIND US the past 7 months, the Spurs were the “2nd best team all year”. I did not agree with that but still thought they were better than OKC.
What’s the chances that OKC will beat the Dubs? 20%? 10%? Will they get swept? I think the fate of “the West” depends on a certain knee. AGAIN. If the Dubs lose, guess they’ll have to BURY SOME HEARTS out there. (See what I did there?)
I haven’t been in a mall in 12 years but that’s ONLY because I’m desperately trying to save/invest for my future retirement; due to not doing so enough in my early working years, pay attention kids – you will NEVER get better advice – SAVE, SAVE, SAVE (& INVEST in stock mutual or index funds) as MUCH as you can as early as you can!Anyhoo, if I had the cash, I’d hit the malls at least a couple times a month. I miss shopping. I just hope they’re still around when I win the lottery. (Any day now! 🙂 )
You didn’t answer my questions the other day – would YOU go to Rio for the Olympics? What if Newsweek wants to send a “man on the ground”?
I saw this morning that the IAAF is going to go ahead & let Kenya compete in the Olympics. I’m sure Russia is next, despite the continuing info on the STATE SPONSORED DOPING in that country for at least the past 6 years. What a bunch of pathetic ass-kissers. Anyone who follows these sports & knows even a little about PEDS has suspected this all along (like we “suspect” the sun is hot). Jamaica? Yep. China? Don’t make me laugh. The corruption & cheating in most of these sports has been going on for years & is DESTROYING the Olympics more than Zika ever could. Of course, the use of PEDS in the “main” pro sports is just as pervasive but they do not test even a 5th as much as the Olympic sports, plus the “penalties” are far lighter. Does ANYONE think that with HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS on the line that many would not use a little “help” to get to the Promised Land? HAHAHAHAHA.
Durant, like me, isn’t going anyhere, Susie B.
LeBron made a very dumb decision going to Miami (I know….the rings….still a dumb decision in my eyes, not that he cares) and KD is not as insecure as he was. And he understands the value of loyalty to something beyond himself better than LeBron did then. He’s got, in my opinion, the NBA’s 3rd-best player on his team, a team he’s been part of for nine years. Why would he leave? I know I wouldn’t.
I won’t be the least bit surprised if OKC defeats Golden State. Not the least. I’d put their odds at 50/50, as I put all odds.
Wait, wait, wait, I thought YOU thought the Spurs were the best shot at defeating the Dubs?
And I totally disagree with you about Sweet Pea. If LBJ had NOT gone to Miami, there’s a damn good chance he would never have won a title, let alone two (or, ahem, three). Free agents didn’t want to go there then as he was not yet an established “winner” & the management didn’t exactly surround him with future HoF players from the draft. In fact, I think it’s too bad he didn’t leave after 5 years. The bottom line is (especially in that sport), there are different “rules” & expectations for super star players : they are EXPECTED to WIN not just one championship but MULTIPLE. If they don’t, a little invisible asterisk goes next to their name in the HoF & forever after they have to withstand the never-ending jokes from the players who are wearing a ring or two (see/hear Shaq to Charles EVERY NIGHT on ‘Inside the NBA’).
As for KD not being insecure – surely you jest?! My god, the second he got a LITTLE criticism from the media two years ago, he lashed out. He could not withstand a SINGLE DAY of the crap hurled on LeBron. Did you see how the TV morons were dissecting how/what LBJ “really” meant about the definition of “MVP”? Argh!
Ok, ok, LeBron’s 2010 TV announcement was stoopid/self-indulgent & he didn’t realize the hurt/pain his “defection” would cause his home area fans, who apparently really thought of him as a “son”, but he had the right to change teams (employers) just like any other American. Plus, he CAME HOME! Still in his prime! Even after that owner publicly wrote such nasty things about Sweet Pea that DT allegedly said “whoa, that’s too harsh!” (That last part might be a lie… irony).
I think it would be great if KD & Westbrook stay in OKC, but I would not be surprised if they both bolted (next year). Beside not being a media/attention mecca, OKC now has to worry about EARTHQUAKES in addition to their tornadoes & KD might just want to get the heck outta such a “Hell Mouth”. Plus, all that butt-kissing during free agency has been known to turn a player’s head.
Honestly, your attempts to time jumping in & out of CHK are less risky that betting on where KD plays the next 5 years. Another irony as “CHK” is the name of his current arena. 🙂