UNC Draft
I can say firmly without a doubt that until last night I have never watched the NBA draft. I watch the NFL draft every year like my life depended on it, but the NBA draft never really interested me. That whole lottery thing confuses me, so I just didn't ever bother...and besides who puts their league draft on during a weekday and only has 2 rounds. But I digress....
Last night I watched for the pure pleasure of getting to see the 2005 National Championship Tarheels just one more time in the same place. People kept saying to me yesterday...how do you feel about Marvin Williams going 2nd instead of 1st. Ok...who really cares...1st or 2nd...he's still going to the NBA. And whoever picks 2nd may be a better fit for Marvin's talent and playing style. (Side Note: Michael Jordan--that guy who has retired 3 times from the NBA--was a first round #3 pick.) So at 7:30 instead of anticipating the Bush speech, I was watching ESPN; not all that uncommon, really. David Stern came out and gave the first pick of the draft and it wasn't Marvin Williams. No big deal. It's not like just because he isn't #1 he's not going to be picked at all. The draft continues and Marvin gets picked 2nd by Atlanta. Raymond is picked 5th by Charlotte. Sean and Rashad are still sitting there with no hat on their head. But I'm not nervous. They're going to get picked. Around the time that the 13th pick (Charlotte) is on the clock, I think to myself, wouldn't it be funny if Charlotte picked Sean at #13.
Then David came out and said Sean's name for Charlotte's second first round pick. I thought I was going to wake the neighbors (if they'd actually been asleep at 8:30). I was (and still am) so freaking excited about them getting to play together and getting to stay in North Carolina that I half way considered buying season tickets even though I'd never get to use them. After a little more research, I discovered that Charlotte and Washington are in the same division in the Eastern Conference and actually played each other 6 times this past season (including the preseason). Now I just have to find out if ticketmaster will sell me tickets to all the Charlotte games...is there a special package I can get?!?!?
Rashad McCants (another underclassman to declare from UNC this year) was chosen 14th, but sadly Jawad Williams (the only UNC senior to try out for NBA teams) was not chosen. Kennedy Winston (Alabama Basketball player) wasn't chosen either. But they could still become free agents or go overseas and play for Italy or something. It worked for Dante Calabria (and obscure UNC reference I know). In any case, my first viewing of the NBA draft was quite eventful. And as long as Charlotte will have them (or can hang on to them) I'll be excited to see Sean and Raymond on the same court. GO HEELS!
posted by Leann @ Wednesday, June 29, 2005
6 comments
6 Comments:
The reason for the lottery is quite simple. It used to be that teams who knew they had no shot at making the playoffs would tank the rest of the season. They knew if they had the worst record they would get the best player. Even if they knew they could get to the playoffs they might tank a season to get a superstar (if you could give up one season to get LeBran or Kobe you most likely would).
So the NBA realized this was happening and did something about it. They made it so that having thw worst record doesn't automatically give you the best pick. The odds are in your favor, but it's not a guarantee. That discourages owners/coaches/players from taking the risk.
The NFL has something similar to this in that in the labor agreements Teams are required to put the best possible players on the field. That's why it's such a big deal at the end of the season when the coach decides to bench the star QB to save him for the playoffs.
Thanks. Now explain why it's on a Tuesday night. :)
There had to be something to watch besides President Bush. ;-)
i'm learning a lot from you guys that i truly didn't intend to understand, EVER!! i guess now's not the time to ask you to wax eloquent on "slaughter house 5" and "great expectations". but hey, i went to my first ever pro anything last fall, a wizards game, and wow oh wow oh wow was i blown away by the dancers.
Thanks for the suggestion. I read every day on the train to and from work, and I just finished my latest book, which means I'm in search of my next read. Your thoughts made me want to re-read Slaughterhouse 5. So...stay-tuned...there may be an "eloquent" post in the future on this subject.
As for Great Expectations, I'm still in search of a copy of it that has both endings. Charles Dickens wrote one ending to the story and then the publisher suggested he change it. So there are actually two endings to it, and my collection of literature will not be complete until I find a copy like that.
Dickens is one of my heros. Everyone knows how he grew up utterly poor and almost abused by today's standards. We all know how his works were published in installments, hence the need for many words (which I love). What I recently learned is that when he performed "readings", he actually did it all from MEMORY, (from MEMORY!!!) as well as brilliantly doing voices and gestures for each character. He was gifted gifted gifted. If you ever find both endings let me know. I want it too. Now Slaughter House 5, how brilliant was that!!! I love it!!
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