The Pursuit Of Leisure

100% correct, 50% of the time. A tongue in cheek look at culture both high and low.

Friday, November 30, 2007

The Knicks Are A Disgrace

- I honestly thought the Knicks would be decent this year but after last night's absolutely disgraceful 45 point loss at MSG to the Celtics they are obviously not even in the vicinity of decent. They are the biggest joke in the league right now and the squabbles between Marbury and Isiah promise to make things only worse. This is absolutely pitiful from one of the 3 cornerstone franchises in the NBA.

- Sens fans seem to have matured a little over the past few years. The teams current five game losing streak is not causing wide spread panic the way it would have a few years ago (though you could argue the only thing that would cause wide spread panic in this town is Harper announcing he was cutting the public sector head count by 10%). I think fans realize the regular season doesn't mean dick anymore.

- I love that the Red Sox are talking to the Twins about Johan Santana. They won't get him but it pushes up the price of what the Yanks will have to pay to get him.

- Can someone explain to me why The Spice Girls reunion is a big deal? Or any kind of deal?

- If I was a parent I would be pretty damn worried about toys right now too. Then again I would buy my kids sports gear and them out in the fresh air most of the time.

- Happy 60th to David Mamet, a screenwriter who has had a big influence on my movie buffdom the past 20 years. Nobody can write about the male psyche as well as Mamet.

- Elisha Cuthbert turns 25 today chronologically qualifying her for Pursuit of Leisure Hottie status. Now if she starts taking roles in movies worth a damn maybe she'll make the grade.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Is This NFL Season Interesting?

- I would argue that the NFL season's only interesting as long as the Patriots keep winning because it is a foregone conclusion they are gong to win the Super Bowl. The only question is whether they are going to go undefeated during the regular season, which I still say they are (and I still say if they lose it will be to the Steelers).

- Cowboys-Packers tonight is interesting if you really think the Packers can beat the Cowboys in the playoffs. Even if the Pack wins tonight and gets home filed I don't see them winning the NFC title game. They have no running game and you can't win in Green Bay in January without the run, even if you are the home team.

- Watching the Raptors this season is going to be a huge exercise in patience for me. Bosh is going to miss the odd game do to injury and they don't have enough around him to beat top teams. They will still win most games with him out against teams like Philly and Milwaukee. Enough to get them to the 5th or 6th playoff seed anyway.

- The Celtics are off to a great start but I still don't see them as a contender. There is no way in hell they can beat the Spurs, Mavs or Suns. I'm not even sure they could beat Utah or Houston. They have no bench at all.

- Does anyone not think Johan Santana will end up in Yankee pinstripes sooner rather than later?

- I think I can actually support Dalton's new dental plan for the working poor. It's pretty hard to move up in the employment ranks if you are going to job interviews with brown teeth sticking out everywhere.

- Happy Birthdays today to the vastly underrated Don Cheadle (43) and the criminally underrated Joel Coen (53).

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Back In Action.

Apologies for the lack of activity here lately but it has been really hectic at work. This is a strong creative outlet for me however, so I want to get back to it on a daily basis. Today is more quick thoughts about recent stuff.

- I saw Michael Clayton a couple of weeks ago and it's an 8.5/10. George Clooney is great as the troubled anti-hero (the type of role is becoming perfect for, similar to Three Kings and Syriana) and Tom Wilkinson was great in a role that could have been played very over the top. Tilda Swinton was the real standout though as the over matched corporate counsel for the big company involved in a class action suit.

- I saw Beowulf last week and is was awful. I would give it a 3/10 only because it was cool seeing it in 3-D. If the movie had of been shot in real action and then had CGI effects for the monsters it could have been very good. The problem was that watching the actors looking real in CGI was very distracting and annoying.

- I can't believe A-Rod was dumb enough to sign with the Yanks again. And then he signs a contract worth $30 million for endorsement opps with them for historic home runs, which only adds to his reputation for caring only about his own numbers.

- Barry Bonds is officially done. Absolutely nobody will sign him now that he has been indicted. Bud Selig must be ecstatic because baseball will be a lot better off without every other conversation being about Bonds.

- If the Leafs don't fire John Ferguson Jr. soon there may be a riot in Toronto. The Leafs are just awful and they will never get better with hm running the show. I've always said it would take a special kind of incompetence to have Leaf fans give up on the team and start screaming and we are seeing it now.

- Best new TV show of the year has to go to Chuck, which I find thoroughly entertaining week after week.

Friday, November 09, 2007

Eric Lindros Retires

- I always thought Eric Lindros was a bit goofy so I wasn't a huge fan of his. A lot of people hated him because he refused to play for Quebec but I actually liked that (the capitalist in me says you should be able to play wherever the hell you want as a rookie, not where a league draft tells you to go). But the guy had immense talent so in that sense I am really disappointed that he never got to realize his true potential because of injury problems. I also think the way he handled himself throughout his career, knowing early on that injuries would ruin him, spoke a lot about how much he matured as go older.

- Collusion? I'm not sure I would put it past Bud Selig.

- For some reason part of my NBA preview got cut off so I will finish it this weekend.

- This is going to be one hell of a frustrating season for Leaf fans. They are not bad enough to be bad but they are not good enough to be good. Which means they are going to hang around the last playoff spot all year then miss it by a point. The worst thing is that with guys like McCabe and Tucker signed to long term deals this is the team that I'll be watching for the next three years. Ferguson has absolutely got to go.

- The Coen brothers have a new movie out today. Consider me pumped because I love those guys.

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

NBA Preview.

Although there has been a lot of player movement the three best teams in the NBA didn't change that much. And the Spurs, Mavs and Suns are still the three best teams. Who will win it all? That won't chnage either - the Spurs will repeat. And the east still sucks.

Eastern Conference

1. Detroit Pistons 52-30

This team is another year older but they are still the best team in the east. Rasheed Wallace may be volatile but he is also one of the smartest players in the NBA. He and Tayshaun Prince form the best defensive frontcourt in the league. And they still have Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton, both all-stars in the backcourt. Their bench isn't great but they all know their roles. This will likely be their last year at the top though.

2. Boston Celtics 49-33

Can three guys carry a team to a division title? They can when the three guys are Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce and the division stinks. Garnett is going to rip through this conference because there isn't a forward who can match him on the boards and Allen will hit jumper after jumper coming off screens. It will be interesting to see who winds up taking all the big shots because Garnett has never really been that guy. I say it will be Pierce. There are a lot of questions about whether Rajon Rondo can run this team but I think he can. He just needs to figure out where the big three like to get the ball and then get it to them. Doc Rivers brutal coaching and lack of depth on the bench will kill them in the playoffs though.

3. Chicago Bulls 48-34

Many people are calling them the best team in the east but I don't see it. Ben Wallace is useless on the offensive end and they want to run. Tyrus Thomas is useless in the half court when other teams will slow them down. So they are going to rely too much on the scoring of Luol Deng (who is going have a huge year), Ben Gordon and the inconsistent Kirk Hinrich. They are going to win a lot of games by 20 points - and lose a lot by 25.

4. Miami Heat 47-35

Dwayne Wade is still the best player in the NBA because he has a killer instinct LeBron doesn't have and a selflessness Kobe doesn't have. And he's healthy. I think he is going to have an insane year and carry this team back to the top of the conference. Shaq is also motivated but his minutes will be limited because he is 35 now. Trading Antoine Walker was a good move but getting Ricky Davis in return was strange. Having that guy running around South Beach is going to be huge on the unintentional comedy scale.

5. Toronto Raptors 47-35

Everything here comes down to Chris Bosh's health. If he plays 75 games they can win 50, if he misses a big stretch they will miss the playoffs. Sam Mitchell still panics in tight games and gets outcoached regularly. Andrea Bargnani will be an all-star by next year and should be good for 17 points a game this year. Jose Calderon and TJ Ford are still a great point combo (though I think Jose should be getting more minutes becasue he plays more under control). Jason Kapono was a nice pickup and Anthony Parker will continue to be a great glue guy and vastly underrated. Ultimately a lack of rebounding will be the kiss of death in the playoffs.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers 45-37

The Cavs made it to the finals last year and then did pretty much nothing in the off season, which was stupid. They got hot and beat a couple of teams that played poorly and they are not that good. Outside of LeBron they have no other player who even comes close to front line and they will rely too much on 2nd year guard Daniel Gibson. Their defense is bad and their bench is bad. Coach Mike Brown is also a poor tactician. These guys are taking a step back.

7. Washington Wizards 43-39

Gilbert Arenas is absolutely my favorite palyer but I sometimes wonder how serious he is about winning. He's just a little too goofy at times. He can socre though, and so can running mates Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison which will make them competitive and entertaining to watch. Defensively however, they are god awful. Brendan Haywood is a complete seive and guys like Shaq and Garnett, hell even Drew Gooden, will kill them.

8. New York Knicks 41-41

I hate Isiah Thomas more than anyone in sports but I will be the first to admit the guy can coach. If Zach Randolph can stay out of trouble in Manhattan, a big if, he will carry them to the playoffs. He will free up room for Eddy Curry. David Lee rounds out a good front court with his hussle and rebounding. Quentin Richardson will give them the three point shooting they need and Stephon Marbury is still a decent point guard, as long as he is allowed to shoot his team out of games a couple times a month.

9. New Jersey Nets 39-43

The Nets are getting old fast. Jason Kidd is now 34 and has a lot of mileage. Vince Carter is terrified to get hurt so he rarely goes to the rim anymore, which is ridiculous because he should lead the league in free throw attempts. Richard Jefferson and Nenad Krstic have both been injured the last couple of years and may not be 100%. They are also really weak in the frontcourt despite the toughness that Jamaal Magliore will provide.

10. Orlando Magic 37-45

The only reason I can think of for the outrageous contract they gave Rashard Lewis was so that he could free up Dwight Howard on the blocks. Howard is an absolute beast and reminds me a hell of a lot of Moses Malone only more athletic. But he still needs to learn to switch on defense and pick his shot blocking spots. The Magic are to oweak in the backcourt to really be a oggd team though. Jameer Nelson is a backup on a top team and JJ Redick is little more than a catch and shoot guy because he can't create his own shot. New coach Stan Van Gundy will be great for this team but they are still two years away.

11. Milwaukee Bucks 34-48

This could be the sleeper team in the east because I think Andrew Bogut is capable of really becoming a top center and rookie Yi Jianlian may be good (he may also be a complete stiff). You know Michael Redd is going to score 25 a game and Charlie Villaneuva could be an all star if he ever decided to work at it. They are decent defensively so they can stay in some games that maybe they shouldn't. There are just too many ifs.

12. Atlanta Hawks 30-52

Their front office actually showed signs of having a clue at the draft when they got Acie Law and stud Al Horford. Their frontcourt is lousty so Horford, the next Karl Malone, should be starting by December and with Speedy Claxton slowing down a lot Law should be starting by January. Marvin Williams still stinks and has shown no signs of having a clue how to play and Josh Smith isn't much better. Joe Johnson is still around to score points when they need it. They are still bad but at least their fans have some hope now.

13. Indiana Pacers 29-53

It's going to get real ugly real fast if these guys stumble out of the gate. Jermaine O'Neal clearly does not want to be there and his supporting cast is not that good. Jamaal Tinsley is erratic and Mike Dunleavy is too timid. Troy Murphy is serviceable but he's not a starter. And the bench is really thin. Coach Jim O'Brien is a good one but it will take a while to build here.

14. Charlotte Bobcats 27-55

Poor Jason Richardson. He goes from the run and fun of Golden St. to this club. He's going to have to score about 30 a game to make this team competitive. Gerald Wallace is a solid player as is Emeka Okafor but there is pretty much nothing after that. Raymond Felton is too slow and can't shoot at point. Rookie Jared Dudley will be the only contributor off the bench.

15. Philadelphia 76ers 22-60

Philly fans better show a patience they are not known for because this team is awful. Samuel Dalembert and Andre Igoudala are exciting but they are overmatched against frontcourts like Boston's or Toronto's. Andre Miller is a good point but he needs scorers around him. Kyle Korver will hit some threes off the bench but that is all they will get from the bench. This team will play hard for Mo Cheeks but they are just overmatched.

Western Conference

1. Phoenix Suns 65-17

I fully expect the Suns to rip off another 25-2 run at some point this year because they can just run teams off the court. They also have to get home court advantage in the playoffs. Grant Hill was a great addition because he can handle the point for Steve Nash in blowouts because Nash needs to play fewer minutes. Amare Stoudemire will score a ton but is still not a great defender which is why the loss of Kurt Thomas will kill them in the playoffs. Thomas was the only guy they had who could slow down Tim Duncan. Shawn Marion is miserable but that won't hurt the SUns because he is always miserable.

2. San Antonio Spurs 61- 21

Suns fans don't want to hear this but Tony Parker is now every bit as good as Steve Nash. He's also a much better defender and hell to lay against. But this is still Tim Duncan's team. He is the smartest player in the league and hardly ever makes a bad decision. Manu Ginobili is the perfect third guy because he doesn't care if he scores 5 or 50 as long as helps them win. Michael Finley can still play and Bruce Bowen is still around to drive everyone he guards batty. And don't forget Robert Horry hitting all the clutch threes. Or that Gregg Popovich is the best coach in the league. All of which means repeat.

3. Dallas Mavericks 58-24

The Mavs are in a no win situation. No matter how many games they win the regular season it won't matter because they can only prove themselves in the playoffs. Which is why I think they will pace themselves a bit better during the regular season. They are still loaded with guys like Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and Josh Howard starting and underrated Devin Harris distributing. And Jerry Stackhouse and Desagana Diop add a lot off the bench. It's just too bad for them that they are in the same conference as the Spurs, who kill them in the half court, and the Suns who kill them in the full court running game.

4. Utah Jazz 56-26

I really like this team. They just play their asses off and never quit. Deron Williams is a great point guard and has become the team leader they really need. Carlos Boozer always defends the other teams top forward and still gets his double double. Mehmet Okur can spread the defense with his perimter shooting. The reason they won't climb into the discussion with the top three teams in the conference is because they don't have a great bench and Andrei Kirilenko looks lost in their offensive scheme and Jerry Sloan looks ready to throttle him.

5. Houston Rockets 54-28

Bringing in Rick Adelman was a smart move but I am not sure Yao is going to function to well at the top of the key where Adelman likes his big men. I also wonder about Tracy McGrady. He just looks like he checks out a lot in big games. I have never been a big fam of Rafer Alston but he fits this team. Shane Battier is a great team guy who does whatever he needs to. The key to them advancing in the playoffs is going to be Luis Scola. If can defend guys like Boozer or Duncan and give Yao some space they can win the conference.

6. Denver Nuggets 53-29

Theese guys will certainly be a hell of a lot of fun to watch and I think Carmelo Anthony finally figured out his legacy will be based on winning not scoring. Allen Iverson already learned that so he will feed Melo all day. Kenyon Martin will be a question mark but marcus Camby will still be a defensive force. This is a make or break year for George Karl. If he doesn't get out of the first round this year I think he'll be fired. If this yeam was in the east they would win the conference, here they are 4th at best.

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

The Pats Will Be Perfect.

- Now that the Pats have beaten the Colts, which I did not think they would do, I am ready to concede they are going 19-0 this year. I thought the best chance for them to lose in the playoffs was against Indy in Indy. Now that they are going to end up with home field advantage (and yes it is a foregone conclusion) I can't see the Colts winning in Boston in crappy January weather.

But 19-0 is not going to be easy. The team that I think actually has the best shot at beating them is the Steelers on December 9 and in the playoffs if they meet them. The Steelers are big and physical on defence and Troy Polamalu may be able to slow down Randy Moss a bit. On offense they can pound the ball and wear down the Pats defense which I am still not 100% sold on.

Either way I hope someone beats them because I really can't stand Belichick.

- I really don't know why top team in the NHL would bring in Peter Forsberg. There is a lot of talk here in Ottawa about him and he would just disrupt their top two lines and you're paying a lot of money for someone who will likely get hurt.

If someone is going to go after him it should a team like Calgary, Montreal or Toronto who are maybe one player away from making the playoffs and taking the chance on him wouldn't kill them because they are not that good anyway.

- I think Andy Pettitte should retire now. The Yankees are going to be a mess for a while. Steinbrenner's kid is going to be a disaster running the team and his relationship with the crazy Joe Girardi is going to be like Big Stein and Billy Martin all over again. The Yanks are going to be screwed for the next few years and I'm not just saying that as a Boston fan.

- My NBA preview is coming tomorrow. Promise.

- I'll also try to get back to entertainment notes soon to. Not so much political because it's all pretty boring right now.

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Fron One Extreme To The Other.

- I find the thought of Joe Torre ending up as the manager of the Dodgers hilarious. First because the atmosphere in Lala land is so different. Nobody cares about anything there so there really isn't that mcuh pressure. But more so because the Dodgers core group of players is relatively young, which is a really bad fit for Torre. Maybe the Dodgers hope signing Torre will get them ARod but I doubt it will. Though LA would be the perfect place for him to.

- The Raptors won their season opener last night which obviously makes me happy. Look for my full NBA preview this weekend.