Matthew

In fact, wasn't it Nick Van Exel, of all people, who gave Magic the worse time of it?

Like Jordan with the Wizards, Magic never coached the Lakers, nope, just don't remember that at all, never happened...

Self-entitled, whiny Laker fan here: Yeah, that's real pressure in New York -- to make the playoffs. I'll take pressure to win a championship over playing .500 basketball to squeeze into the 8th spot any day, night, and year. You're not addressing my initial concern. Why the drama and panic to win NOW when you've got 10 to hang your hat on in the last 32 years??? Is an almost 1/3 championship ratio not enough for you? Does Kobe's legacy really ride on having 6 titles versus 5??? It's incredibly easy to react the way you're reacting to my post. But, I don't think I told any lies or said anything particularly offensive. It's only sports, ya know. No, it's not enough, ask the players because that is what it comes down to -- the players. They are the ones who want to win now, it's their legacy that is involved, and they are the ones putting pressure on themselves to win, and believe me, Kobe is desperate to pass MJ in the number of championships. We, as fans, just go along for the ride. As long as the Knicks have Dolan as the owner, they're not going anywhere. How can a franchise that's won, what? two championships? be the flagship franchise for the NBA? the Houston Rockets have the same number for crying out load. How can the NBA financial success be tied to the Knicks, when they have not done a thing in ages, were in the finals way back when, and that by general consensus was the worse played final ever, and the money been flowing for the NBA despite the ineptitude of NY. The Knicks are just the Orlando Magic with a good press agent. Despite rarely reaching the NBA Finals, the Kinicks make more money than any other NBA franchise. That's how. Dolan may be a dope, but he's tied to one of the richest conglomerates in these here United States. As such, he's got MUCH deeper pockets than the Busses and Cubans of the world. If you can't be convinced, let me wallow in my ignorance. No one is saying that the Knick aren't loaded with money, Dolan reeks with it, and good for him and the Knicks. To my mind, a flagship franchise is about more than money, it's about how an organization is run, and right now, neither the Lakers or Knicks are being run well. When it's all said and done, the real flagship franchise of the NBA might be San Antonio, quietly efficient, owner in the background, well coached, the players don't seem to get into trouble, I'd take that kind of franchise any time.

Self-entitled, whiny Laker fan here: Yeah, that's real pressure in New York -- to make the playoffs. I'll take pressure to win a championship over playing .500 basketball to squeeze into the 8th spot any day, night, and year. You're not addressing my initial concern. Why the drama and panic to win NOW when you've got 10 to hang your hat on in the last 32 years??? Is an almost 1/3 championship ratio not enough for you? Does Kobe's legacy really ride on having 6 titles versus 5??? It's incredibly easy to react the way you're reacting to my post. But, I don't think I told any lies or said anything particularly offensive. It's only sports, ya know. No, it's not enough, ask the players because that is what it comes down to -- the players. They are the ones who want to win now, it's their legacy that is involved, and they are the ones putting pressure on themselves to win, and believe me, Kobe is desperate to pass MJ in the number of championships. We, as fans, just go along for the ride. As long as the Knicks have Dolan as the owner, they're not going anywhere. How can a franchise that's won, what? two championships? be the flagship franchise for the NBA? the Houston Rockets have the same number for crying out load. How can the NBA financial success be tied to the Knicks, when they have not done a thing in ages, were in the finals way back when, and that by general consensus was the worse played final ever, and the money been flowing for the NBA despite the ineptitude of NY. The Knicks are just the Orlando Magic with a good press agent.

Self-entitled, whiny Laker fan here: Yeah, that's real pressure in New York -- to make the playoffs. I'll take pressure to win a championship over playing .500 basketball to squeeze into the 8th spot any day, night, and year.

Thanks for the link, ordered tonight and shipping was only 3 euros. I'm looking forward to this one.

No. Strange things like what? I'm going to have to pay attention, but maybe it's my computer. I'm using a MacBook Air, and that might be the problem, strange commands happen sometimes when I use this laptop.

All I can go off is the Mavs' and they have been a solid team during Cuban's ownership. He may be a jerk in a lot of ways, but he has been good for the NBA. He's about the only owner who has ever challenged Stern, and in my book, that's a good thing. Compare the Mavs with other NBA franchises, and they come out looking very good.

Does anyone else have the problem of when they're writing a post, that when you touch some keys, or the backspace/delete button, strange things happen?

So, you would not agree with this blurb off Amazon: "An intimate epic, a NorCal Middlemarch set to the funky beat of classic vinyl soul-jazz and pulsing with a virtuosic, pyrotechnical style all its own, Telegraph Avenue is the great American novel we've been waiting for. Generous, imaginative, funny, moving, thrilling, humane, triumphant, it is Michael Chabon's most dazzling book yet." I'm still debating about getting this one, it would be a nice trip down Memory Lane, to relive my six years in Berkeley, but I'm not overly fond of Chabon, I completely gave up on The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (in fact, threw it in a dumpster, I was so frustrated by it), might go into a used book store in a couple of months and buy it -- bring back memories of Telegraph from back in the day, and when I was much younger.

Really. The restaurant is geared toward the fans of his Food Network show, not for "fine dinning." Just a way for Pete Wells to show he's above it all, and pure, and doesn't fall into the category of a Food Network lemming, etc., and knows what real food is all about. Sort of like a jazz critic reviewing a Boney James concert.

This looks like a great one, I'm very interested in the DVD also.

Ha! He and Loria deserve each other. You gotta love Idiot Bud Selig -- Mark Cuban owning a team is bad for baseball, but people like McCourt & Loria are okay. That makes so much sense Bud.

Miami has never supported baseball, that's two franchises that Jeffrey Loria has driven into the ground -- The Expos & The Marlins. But, hey, he's a buddy of Bud Selig, so he can do whatever he wants.

The question of the evening is: Who will appear first for his team, Andrew Bynum or Mike D'antoni? Geesh, what was the big hurry? D'antoni is recovering from knee replacement surgery, and he can't even coach for a couple of games -- it's not like the Lakers were in competition with anyone else over D'antoni's services....

Maybe I should be thankful that DirectTV do not have the Lakers games right now...

What next? Trading Paul Gasol for Amare Stoudemire? I guess Lakers fans got too used to Jerry West and well thought out decisions. Mitch Kupchak seems to be in over his head on these important decisions.

Initial impression is good, looks "clean" to me. Just have to get my avatar back.

Hey, thanks for ruining my morning! Really????? D'antoni????? WHAT. THE. HECK!!!!!!! The guy has done nothing, he couldn't win with the Suns (even with Nash a two time MVP) or the Knicks, and he's going to run his offense with a bunch of old timers???? Really???? I thought it was all about championships this year for the Lakers, and there is now way Showtime's going anywhere because to beat the Thunder or Heat, a team has to actually play defense. I don't care what their regular season record is, it'll be a second round exit for the Lakers -- a team cannot win come playoff time without any defense. What a freakin' mess.

The Chargers are KILLING me today, Rivers plays great, then throws a stupid pass that gets picked off for a TD -- what a schizophrenic team.

Might work, Derek has the respect and knowledge of the players, he also knows about the "Lakers Way" of doing things, if that means anything now-a-days. Though, I think that Nate McMillan is a very good coach, and would do well with the Lakers.

Brian Shaw makes the most sense: He's Kobe's guy, he knows the players and front office (of course, they passed over him for Brown), so the adjustment time might be short. D'antoni has never won a thing, and the Lakers are not built for his system, it would pound these old geezers into the ground; I don't think Jackson and Kobe can coexist. Back in the day, in a situation like this, the Lakers use to promote from within, but that isn't going to happen with this group, there is huge pressure to win now. Sloan just doesn't seem right on a lot of levels -- if he thought Daron Williams was bad, just wait until he sees Kobe & Howard.

Report say Jackson is "open" to coaching again -- though I wonder if Jeanie Buss is the source. I really don't like the idea of Jackson coming back, I don't think Nash would be happy with running a triangle offense, which has no need for a point guard.

Mike Brown fired as Lakers coach -- no one survives Mamba's "Stare Of Death."

Kobe give Mike Brown his "Death Stare"