Basketball for Myopics, By Ailene Voisin
by Tom Ziller on Jun 20, 2010 6:06 AM PDT
in Commentary
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PrintLadies and gentlemen, good morning. Breaking news, breaking news: Ailene Voisin, the only basketball columnist at the only daily newspaper in the city, has an opinion on the Spencer Hawes trade. Take it away, Ms. V!
***
Spencer Hawes and Samuel Dalembert couldn't be any different if they were born in different countries, which of course they were.
I disagree. They could be more different. Say, if one was a Martian and the other a lamp. Or one was a jump rope champion and the other a telephone booth. Or one was a taco boat and the other a desert tortoise. Or ...
But this trade? The swapping of a young finesse center for an athletic veteran who runs, rebounds, blocks shots and promises to create major congestion in the lanes at Arco Arena?
Ummmm …
I'll take a pass.
Note for you Lost-a-holics: in the sideways universe, Ailene Voisin takes a pass on the Dalembert-Hawes trade, leaving Dalembert in Philadelphia and Hawes in Sacramento, where he can continue to receive passes from Ricky Rubio and set screens for shirtless Peja Stojakovic under the watchful glare of Bill Laimbeer.
Let's see how the ball moves.
I predict a Tyreke Evans insult in our future. Where's "Tyreke Insult" on my Bingo card ... ?
[...] Yet if Geoff Petrie sounds a little conflicted about giving up on Hawes after three seasons, well, he should be. Talented 7-footers don't escape the womb by the dozens.
And thank God for that! Can you imagine a woman giving birth to 7-footers a dozen at a time? And not just any 7-footers. Talented ones. Octomom is rolling over in her grave tanning bed.
Hawes, 22, is competitive and hard-working, and his edgy personality is more of a plus than a minus.
Especially on Match.com. Chicks love a bad boy.
True, he failed to establish an interior presence. True, his rebounding was inadequate. True, his constant questioning annoyed some of his coaches.
True, he was not good at most traditional center duties. Good point. I sense a "But ..." coming. Does anyone else sense a "But ..." coming?
But ...
There we go!
... he didn't deserve to be banished for a game (Feb. 23) because he discussed his coach's substitution pattern in that morning's newspaper. Seriously. That was a total overreaction, and one that infuriated Hawes' entire family.
"We're driving down Highway NaRC (Not a Real Center), and all of a sudden the driver takes the exit for Non Sequitor Irrelevant Town! Can you believe it?! I don't think we'll ever make it to our destination, The Point of This Column City!"
Hawes can even make the argument that he was a victim, that he should have complained louder while one of his best assets – high-post passing – was sacrificed to accommodate Tyreke Evans' ball-dominant, overdribbling style.
BINGO! I have BINGO!
God damn you, Rookie of the Year and franchise savior Tyreke Evans. How dare you minimize the need for our center's best un-centery assets with your "scoring more layups than anyone in the league" and your "team-leading 5.8 assists." How DARE you take our Spencey Hawes away from us! </lights RekeROY memories on fire>
On a roster with Jason Thompson, Donté Greene, Carl Landry and Omri Casspi, Hawes was the only frontcourt player to average at least two assists. And this is not an area that will improve with Dalembert.
In a band with Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison, Ringo Starr was the only musician to own a gong. And this is not an area that will improve with Davey Jones.
No, the trade makes sense only if the Kings exploit Dalembert's blocks and rebounds to trigger transition opportunities and don't make the same mistake as Eddie Jordan.
One could argue the trade makes sense if the Kings manage to get more blocks and rebounds in the first place, given that blocks and rebounds are important to a team's defense and given that during Hawes' tenure as the team's top center the team's defense has been wholly mediocre, and given that Dalembert is a good-to-great defender and one of the best rebounders in the history of Western Civilization (/walton'd), and given that despite Voisin's constantly refrained opinions otherwise, defense actually does count the same as offense in the NBA, so that a trade which doesn't necessarily improve your offense can still help your team immensely assuming it is a defensive upgrade, which this trade would appear to be.
The former Kings coach replaced Tony DiLeo's uptempo style with the more methodical Princeton offense and was fired at season's end. [Completely relevant Chris Webber quote.] With the NBA draft approaching and more roster shuffling anticipated, coach Paul Westphal isn't open to discussing possible changes to his offense.
Voisin buried the lede! She really got Westphal to say there's no chance he'll change the offense this season to help Sammy get some open court looks? Wow! News value, yeah!
"We have to add some players," he said. "Nobody can say what our team will look like."
Oh. So he's saying he's going to wait to make major decisions like a switch of offensive systems until he knows what his roster looks like? And he didn't really say he's not open to discussing changes? Oh. I guess I just thought when she wrote "coach Paul Westphal isn't open to discussing possible changes to his offense" she meant he wasn't open to discussing possible changes to his offense. Silly me.
"But we do think that one important ingredient of any team that does anything of note is that you've got to protect the basket. That's an important piece."
No argument there.
We all agree! Hooray!
Wait, is that ... is that another "But ..." I sense coming in the very near future? It couldn't be ... could it?
But ...
AAAAAAAAAAAAH! Not again!
... as the Lakers demonstrated again, ...
Next up on Ed Sullivan, "How the Lakers Winning the Championship Explains Why the Spencer Hawes Trade is Bad," a monologue in one part by Ailene Voisin.
... teams win when they ...
OK, the Lakers were good at many things, so we could be heading anywhere right now. Let's see, they were good at shooting. And offensive rebounding. And not fouling opponents. And defending. Really good at defending. Really, really good at defending. Excellent at defensive rebounding. Good at not turning over the ball. You know what, the Lakers happened to be good at just about everything, except for sharing the ball. If the Lakers had one fault, it'd be that they were pretty crummy at sharing the ball. I mean, teams including the Jazz, Celtics, Mavericks, Clippers, Cavaliers, Spurs, Bobcats, Rockets, Hornets, Pacers, Suns, Bucks, Knicks, Raptors, Blazers, Hawks, Sixers, Bulls, Warriors and Nuggets -- well more than half the league -- had more field goals assisted than the Lakers. The Lakers share the ball worse than all those teams, even the awful Knicks and Sixers and Warriors, but the Lakers do basically everything else at a sufficient level, so I'm going to say Ailene Voisin will finish this column on a strong note as long as she doesn't say ...
But as the Lakers demonstrated again, teams win when they share the ball.
NOOOOO!!!
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Comments
She's rather dim.
Try and build a team around your best player? Are you allowed to do that?
Keep the scalpel out, Tom, she may not be good at her job, but she is prolific.
Rocks are free, and slingshots easily stolen.
by andy sims on Jun 20, 2010 6:16 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Voison's opinion on Hawes... Is that newsworhty? Horrible... but newsworthy?
Which one is in the NEWSpaper, my friend?
GREENE! You’ve been superfluously apostrophe’d! - andy sims
iashwash, you are the voice of reason - Holmdel
by iashwash on Jun 20, 2010 6:33 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Seriously,
How’s it possible that no one sees that? I mean someone responsible at the newspaper. This is sad.
by ZenBaller on Jun 20, 2010 6:36 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
They have managed to get rid of anyone with any hint of intelligence there
...
by prowseinthehouse on Jun 20, 2010 7:28 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
That is the part I do not understand.
Sam Amick offered a lot to readers, but the Bee didn’t hesitate to take some kind of action against him. He apparently stepped over some line and was axed. What kind of hold does Ailene have at the newspaper? Surely, the paper has received more than sufficient negative criticism against Ailene, yet she persists. She must know how to navigate the line to keep her job. I shake my head that her stories pass through the editorial screening process to make it to press. Amazing.
I want to thank my psychiatrist. - Ron Artest, June 17, 2010, after winning NBA Championship.
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
- John Wooden
If you want to be your best, you have to do your best, otherwise you are only second rate.
Uhmm...
I am willing to wager that Sam took offense to how they yanked his blog and the editor being a major tool. He just didn’t go in for polishing tool chrome like Voisin seems to be quite versed in…
I didn't major in Common F-cking Sense, but ...
Apparently...
If my understanding of events serves me, Sam reported something he was told not to report. I don’t know if this is true, only something that was reported. This could be construed as insubordination. Whatever happened, we the readers, lost a good reporter in Sam. That Voison could be seen as a good tool polisher, goes without question.
I want to thank my psychiatrist. - Ron Artest, June 17, 2010, after winning NBA Championship.
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
- John Wooden
If you want to be your best, you have to do your best, otherwise you are only second rate.
What is your source for that?
I would love to hear as much as you can disclose. I think it was his blog about Rubio’s agent and how Martins picking the same agent was a problem for the Kings. My memory may not be exact here. So, is this the item he was not supposed to report on?
I didn't major in Common F-cking Sense, but ...
It was reported here on StR. You can look for that as well as I can.
It did have to do with with his blog about the agent, but I am not clear as to what the problem was exactly. I told you all that I recall.
I want to thank my psychiatrist. - Ron Artest, June 17, 2010, after winning NBA Championship.
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
- John Wooden
If you want to be your best, you have to do your best, otherwise you are only second rate.
No
What happened: the desk editors took an important line out of his story when he went to print. The absence of the line affected the story in such a way that the team was mad at Sam. Sam called out the editors in a blog entry. That was what got him in minor trouble.
But it didn’t cause him to leave — he left because FH hired him away.
Thank you for the clarification. I obviously misinterpreted the outcome.
I want to thank my psychiatrist. - Ron Artest, June 17, 2010, after winning NBA Championship.
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
- John Wooden
If you want to be your best, you have to do your best, otherwise you are only second rate.
He left because newspapers are a dying business and that much is obvious.
The thing with the line being retracted (something I didn’t see) was not surprising. The Bee does really dumb shit for no real reason as far as I can tell. That seems to be one of those instances.
Personally? I think Fanhouse is suited for Sam and Chris Tomasson both. Both have expanded their wings a great deal since joining FH IMO.
EvilCowtownInc: Screwin Suckaz over since 1985......
Maybe we should adjust our stats to per36 years of age? -- ElRonToro
No mistakes in the tango, Donna. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....
May as well work for the national enquirer, with the load of truth she puts into articles.
"So your a Yank? Thats ok, were all just people. People are all the same. But we like Canadians better." - Guy at the grocery store. "wow"
by chenp22 on Jun 20, 2010 6:51 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
It's not even so much lack of truth as it is the habit of looking at facts and drawing wholly inaccurate conclusions.
Rocks are free, and slingshots easily stolen.
by andy sims on Jun 20, 2010 6:52 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Can't argue with that.
"So your a Yank? Thats ok, were all just people. People are all the same. But we like Canadians better." - Guy at the grocery store. "wow"
What an idiot...
She’s better suited to the home and garden section than sports. Sam, Marty, pleeeaaassseee come back…..
Purveyor of Bull Plop
"Yo Ricky, I'm open in the corner"
...
by prowseinthehouse on Jun 20, 2010 7:44 AM PDT reply actions 13 recs
Genius.
"He's the straw that makes the drink go."
by Thelonious Dunk on Jun 20, 2010 12:49 PM PDT up reply actions
"Seriously. That was a total overreaction,"
Totally man! Like, that was a totally AWESOME article Voisin! SERIOUSLY girl! Mad props on the seriously totally awesome writing skills!
-———————————————
One of the many things I have learned about sounding professional when using the English language relates to the usage of “total” “seriously” and their various forms. As often as possible, a writer (or public speaker) should stay away from these entirely vague words. For one, Voisin’s usage of “seriously” to create emphasis is weak and lazy in nature. For a writer who seemingly tries to be more than your average sports writer in quality due to all the adjectives—rippling, dripping, oozing, glistening, fiery, sultry, lusting, etc.—this first sentence is an indication she is no more than a high school dropout with a thesaurus. “Hmmm… what’s another word for me to describe the way the gymnasium’s lights glint off of Ricky Rubio’s sweaty chest?” Beyond this, “total” and “totally” are two of the laziest words in the English language. It’s not entirely; it’s not completely, altogether or wholly an overreaction; it was “a total overreaction.”
Am I splitting hairs? Perhaps. But how am I supposed to insult Voisin when Ziller has done such an incredible job of breaking down the basketball and logical side of the issue? All that was left to me was the composition—the fecal icing on the wonderfully revolting stool cake that is Ailene Voisin’s writing.
Can we please trade Ailene Voisin for Sam Amick? We will throw in a workout-worn Ricky Rubio cut-off t-shirt.
by nobodyinparticular on Jun 20, 2010 7:58 AM PDT reply actions 4 recs
You make a point with her use of the words "seriously" and "total," but you make the same
mistake as Voisin in your conclusion that “she is no more than a high school dropout with a thesaurus.” I am fairly certain that Voisin has more than an adequate resume, probably graduating from a university with a degree in journalism.
I want to thank my psychiatrist. - Ron Artest, June 17, 2010, after winning NBA Championship.
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
- John Wooden
If you want to be your best, you have to do your best, otherwise you are only second rate.
Didn't I read...
Didn’t I read that Voisin went to law school? Maybe that’s why she is so good at bending the truth and altering reality…
It wouldn't surprise me if she went to law school.
I want to thank my psychiatrist. - Ron Artest, June 17, 2010, after winning NBA Championship.
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
- John Wooden
If you want to be your best, you have to do your best, otherwise you are only second rate.
must have been a honorary degree
for sleeping with the instructor
...for not sleeping with the instructor.
by napg on Jun 20, 2010 10:56 AM PDT up reply actions 8 recs
What does Law School have to do with Journalism
The presence of a Law Degree does not take away from her lazy use of the English language.
My law degree actually helped my writing.
Helped to make it more succinct and flow more logically.
Those guys above need to stop drinking the Hater-ade.
"We're trapped inside the matrix, forced to play our hand. We're filled with so much hatred, the kids don't stand a chance." -- B.o.B. (aka Bobby Ray).
by PhutureKings on Jun 20, 2010 11:32 AM PDT up reply actions
Succinct it is.
I want to thank my psychiatrist. - Ron Artest, June 17, 2010, after winning NBA Championship.
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
- John Wooden
If you want to be your best, you have to do your best, otherwise you are only second rate.
Agreed.
"We're trapped inside the matrix, forced to play our hand. We're filled with so much hatred, the kids don't stand a chance." -- B.o.B. (aka Bobby Ray).
by PhutureKings on Jun 20, 2010 11:40 AM PDT up reply actions
I think sacnewsnet was using the law school analogy for Voison's bending and the facts to make her case.
I want to thank my psychiatrist. - Ron Artest, June 17, 2010, after winning NBA Championship.
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
- John Wooden
If you want to be your best, you have to do your best, otherwise you are only second rate.
bending of the facts to make her case.
I want to thank my psychiatrist. - Ron Artest, June 17, 2010, after winning NBA Championship.
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
- John Wooden
If you want to be your best, you have to do your best, otherwise you are only second rate.
BTW
Ziller gets a rec from me for the morning treat—Voisin trashing.
by nobodyinparticular on Jun 20, 2010 8:01 AM PDT reply actions
The snark is strong with this one.
Awesome. I don’t even look at the Bee anymore. That shit is bad for you.
A lonely Kings fan in a sea of gold and purple...
by Jaycee on Jun 20, 2010 8:14 AM PDT reply actions 4 recs
I didn't major in Common F-cking Sense, but ...
by MustangMBS on Jun 20, 2010 10:13 AM PDT up reply actions 3 recs
such a bad shop but rec'd for the attempt
by VenomySnicket on Jun 20, 2010 1:09 PM PDT up reply actions
Whoa!
That was photo-shopped!?!
"We're trapped inside the matrix, forced to play our hand. We're filled with so much hatred, the kids don't stand a chance." -- B.o.B. (aka Bobby Ray).
by PhutureKings on Jun 20, 2010 1:33 PM PDT up reply actions
No, unfortunately I don't have photoshop
MS Paint sucks… I could have done better.
I didn't major in Common F-cking Sense, but ...
GIMP
"We follow people who know a lot more about basketball than I do or pretend to..."
--David Stern
by Jacob Grinyer on Jun 20, 2010 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
No problemo
"We follow people who know a lot more about basketball than I do or pretend to..."
--David Stern
by Jacob Grinyer on Jun 21, 2010 9:13 AM PDT up reply actions
I was kidding...
…as if to say that I did not know it was a doctored photo.
I actually think crummy photo shops are hilarious.
"We're trapped inside the matrix, forced to play our hand. We're filled with so much hatred, the kids don't stand a chance." -- B.o.B. (aka Bobby Ray).
by PhutureKings on Jun 20, 2010 7:29 PM PDT up reply actions
Huh. Strange.
I always thought of him as more of a “Tom Zolo”.
m*****f***ing c***s***ing peanut butter and jelly!! f*** f*** f***!!!
by JediLeroy on Jun 20, 2010 3:09 PM PDT up reply actions 4 recs
Looks 'Shopped
Check the pixels around the hands…you’ll see it too. Everything else looks aight though.
"Matt Cain's better at this than I've ever been at anything in my life. He's better at this than you'll ever be, at anything. Matt Cain has a gift. He has a gift, and when you acknowledge that, then maybe we will have something to talk about."
by otis29 on Jun 21, 2010 5:31 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I suppose the real question is
if Ailene’s column is even worth reading. I am not surprised that she writes a half-assed unpopular, ill-informed, column with crap conclusions. I would be surprised if she wrote something worth reading.
Brilliant and humorous review of Ailene Voison's article. Highly rec'd.
So many funny comparisons, but I especially enjoyed:
We’re driving down Highway NaRC (Not a Real Center), and all of a sudden the driver takes the exit for Non Sequitor Irrelevant Town! Can you believe it?! I don’t think we’ll ever make it to our destination, The Point of This Column City!
I found it humorous that Voisin felt that Spencer could have made the argument that he was really a victim, that he should have complained louder. Here was a missed opportunity for Ailene. She could have used her position as a sports writer to have made the argument for him. Too late, Ailene. Sweaty Hawes with his sexy shoulders is leaving town to go into the arms of another sports writer.
But, as the Lakers demonstrated again… their winning of the NBA championship can be used to explain everything in basketball operations. I anticipate that Voisin will be sharing her many insightful perceptions by using examples from the exemplary style of Lakers’ play to explain them. Under her watchful tutelage, readers will come to be informed of the Lakers greatness and the ever bumbling Kings, trading off their best offensive assets for something so trifling as a player who brings a defensive presence.
Well done, Ziller.
I want to thank my psychiatrist. - Ron Artest, June 17, 2010, after winning NBA Championship.
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
- John Wooden
If you want to be your best, you have to do your best, otherwise you are only second rate.
Six degrees of Ailene Voisin - special conspiracy theorist edition!
One of Ailene Voisin’s long-stnading crushes involves John Whisenant, who coached for the now defunct Sacramento Monarchs.
The Monarchs played against Candace Parker, who played for the L.A. Sparks.
Parker was married to Shelden Williams, who had a stint with the Kings before eventually landing with the Celtics.
The Celtics just lost the NBA championship to the L*kers, mostly because of that rat bastard David Stern.
David Stern has the same last name as Howard Stern.
Ailene Voisin is, in reality, Howard Stern.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
by section214 on Jun 20, 2010 8:38 AM PDT reply actions 12 recs
It all makes sense now!
"We follow people who know a lot more about basketball than I do or pretend to..."
--David Stern
by Jacob Grinyer on Jun 20, 2010 8:40 AM PDT up reply actions
Voisin (Center), Peaches (Left), and Lamb (Right)
Actively forming the new axis of evil to bring down the kings
...
by prowseinthehouse on Jun 20, 2010 9:20 AM PDT up reply actions
I'm glad you specified who was who
Ailenn could have easily been (right) or (center). Shit shave her head & she could have been (left)
I love beating dead horses.
by allbenji's on Jun 20, 2010 9:29 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
That really does look like Voisin lol
I'm not sitting in your car, or your living room with a gun pointed to your head telling you to listen to 1140. - Grant Napear
The Howard Stern photo
I'm not sitting in your car, or your living room with a gun pointed to your head telling you to listen to 1140. - Grant Napear
It's hard to not look like yourself.
Bold Prediction: Whoever we pick 5th this year will have a better NBA season than whoever was picked 5th last year.
Ailene Voisin=Rita Skeeter
when will the Kenny Thomas Reign of Terror end?!!??
by diehardkingsfan5 on Jun 20, 2010 9:06 AM PDT via mobile reply actions 2 recs
Ha
Grandmaster of the "Never let AnotherStupidSN forget what a Sham-Wow is" Order and Originator of the "Brock Ness Monster".
wow
My older brother has made me so self-conscious about the fact that I’m 33 and have read all the HP books. HaveI found sanctuary here at StR? Hallelujah!!
BTW, Voisin sucks ass. Spencer is a future bad-ass (if he wants to be) and Dalembert isa present bad-ass at all the things we currently lack. I’m sad to see Spence go, but very optimistic about Dally.
by TheFNG on Jun 20, 2010 11:00 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
wasn't Aileen the one who called for Adelman's head atleast once a week?
Now she wants to fill our roster with soft finesse guys like Ricky Rubio & Spencer Hawes? Now she wants to turn our system into an Adelman like system? Now she wants to turn our coach into……uhh……Rick freakin Adelman!?
What a joke
I love beating dead horses.
by allbenji's on Jun 20, 2010 9:25 AM PDT via mobile reply actions 1 recs
I would love to have kept Adelman
He is one hell of a coach.
I didn't major in Common F-cking Sense, but ...
by MustangMBS on Jun 20, 2010 9:49 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
Great coach but for whatever reason he couldn't get the Kings over the hump
Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying it was all his fault or I wouldn’t love still having him as our coach. The thing is there are only a few elite coaches in this league. Phil Jackson, Greg Popovich, Pat Riley. I would put Adelman in the next tier with Jerry Sloan & Doc Rivers. That’s 5 current coaches in the top 2 tiers. So if you have a chance to keep or aquire any of those coaches you do it.
Nate McMillan could be considered in the 2nd tier as Doc Rivers could be considered for tier one.
Oh my bad I totally forgot about Larry Brown. He is easily in tier 2 maybe tier one.
I love beating dead horses.
It was time for Adelman to go.
I was happy with it then, and don’t regret it now.
He hasn’t done much in the playoffs, so I don’t understand all the Adelman empathy. Not to mention the WebberCOming BackFromKneeInjury-Debacle.
"We're trapped inside the matrix, forced to play our hand. We're filled with so much hatred, the kids don't stand a chance." -- B.o.B. (aka Bobby Ray).
by PhutureKings on Jun 20, 2010 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions
By my count you put in 6 current coaches in the top 2 tiers, not 5.
I want to thank my psychiatrist. - Ron Artest, June 17, 2010, after winning NBA Championship.
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
- John Wooden
If you want to be your best, you have to do your best, otherwise you are only second rate.
Well, he would have needed a black and white jersey and a whistle
in order to have humped, umm, I mean get the Kings over the hump.
He did everything that could have been done short of overcoming one of the biggest sports conspiracies of all time and forcing his team to make free throws.
Fantasy sports author for Rototimes and Fanball. Northern California sports fanatic. Kings blog: Kingskingdom.com
by The Czar on Jun 20, 2010 5:44 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
injuries, biased refs, and talent
you cant win championships with the first two or without the third one.
by TheFifthMookie on Jun 20, 2010 11:25 PM PDT up reply actions
Dear Ailene,
Dear Ailene,
We are drafting another “big” who managed to escape the womb.
Get over it and kindly shut your trap.
Nutterball
Sooo lets look at the numbers...
taking basic stats that are Hawes/Dalembert strengths and weaknesses, I come up with the following
Hawes: PPG 10, REB 6.1, AST 2.2, BLK 1.2 for a total of 19.5
Dalembert: PPG 8.1, REB 9.6, AST .8, BLK 1.8 for a total of 20.3
And with Hawes being a “finesse” center, I was thinking that steals might favor Hawes, but it doesn’t (Hawes .4 per game, Dambert .5 per game). And don’t even look at the turnovers because Hawes commits slightly more turnovers as well.
Secondly, dont try to bring up the arguement that Hawes’s numbers would be better if he and coaches were getting along because Dalembert was going through the same drama in Philadelphia as well
Lastly and probably the close of this arguement, Ailene brings up the passing of the Lakers. Guess what??? Bynum (their starting center) averaged more blocks than assists through out the year. So the Lakers MAY pass the ball, but their center is playing DEFENSE and REBOUNDING!
whatever - but the Ziller commentary is hilarious
And the Lakers won games 6 and 7 primarily because of an overall team commitment to DEFENSE. Aggressive, in-your-face, take no prisoners D. A Spencer Hawes type player would NOT be on the floor in those games for more than a few minutes, at best.
I hate to say this, but....
Let’s take a gander at Ailene’s favorite players/coaches, whom she writes about glowingly and occasionally creepily:
Vlade, Peja, Laimbeer, Larry Brown, Whisenant, Rubio, Spencer Hawes
Notice anything?
And now I guess we’re going to add Tyreke Evans to the Chris Webber pantheon of bad teammates?
by nbrans on Jun 20, 2010 10:29 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
what can you say?
she doesn’t like chocolate?
I'm not going to say she's racist
I don’t know her and I’m sure she’s not in real life. But I think she’s part of the last of the old guard of sportswriting that favors the fundamentally sound and “right” way of playing that, let’s be honest, has been associated with white American and white European players. You still see sportswriters rhapsodize about this style of basketball even when it’s readily apparent that the Spencer Haweses of the world are nowhere near as good or effective as the Samuel Dalemberts of the world. It’s the sportswriting and reporting community that pretty much openly rooted for Duke over UNLV and who portrayed the Fab 5 Michigan team as nothing more than thugs.
I don’t know where that bias comes from, whether it’s nostalgia, a touch of racism, or watching “Hoosiers” too many times. But I still feel like it’s a pernicious idea that should be called out.
by nbrans on Jun 20, 2010 10:49 AM PDT up reply actions 4 recs
Add Omri to that list
Though, I also remember her really wanting Avery Johnson as our coach this last time.
"Sometimes the capriciousness of youth anesthetizes common sense." -Let Geoff's words guide our patience this season.
by AnotherStupidSN on Jun 20, 2010 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions
A new word must be invented to describe the quality and awesomeness of the snark evident in this piece.
Well done Tom.
Grandmaster of the "Never let AnotherStupidSN forget what a Sham-Wow is" Order and Originator of the "Brock Ness Monster".
Not a new word, but Ziller lampooned Voison.
I want to thank my psychiatrist. - Ron Artest, June 17, 2010, after winning NBA Championship.
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
- John Wooden
If you want to be your best, you have to do your best, otherwise you are only second rate.
Ewww.
You said “poon” and “Voisin” in the same sentence!
"We're trapped inside the matrix, forced to play our hand. We're filled with so much hatred, the kids don't stand a chance." -- B.o.B. (aka Bobby Ray).
by PhutureKings on Jun 20, 2010 11:47 AM PDT up reply actions
"Hawes, 22, is competitive and hard-working..."
…Whaaaaaaat? O.O
Though, I will concede this:
Hawes is, in fact, 22.
Yeah, that might have been the most shocking part of the piece to me.
The other stuff in the piece was baggage from Dalembert of the misconception (not only held by her) that the Lakers share the ball. The stuff about Hawes being competitive and hard-working is not exactly something that has been reported about him in the last several years.
Fantasy sports author for Rototimes and Fanball. Northern California sports fanatic. Kings blog: Kingskingdom.com
I think you could have just posted her actual photo.
"We're trapped inside the matrix, forced to play our hand. We're filled with so much hatred, the kids don't stand a chance." -- B.o.B. (aka Bobby Ray).
by PhutureKings on Jun 20, 2010 11:48 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
This isn't it...?
I didn't major in Common F-cking Sense, but ...
by MustangMBS on Jun 20, 2010 1:38 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
Ziller
is the man…why should i ever read the Bee (except for Barrows Niners news). I can the Bee’s off-planet version of things and then let TZ explain what it means in english.
"every once in a while a kernel of truth...uhh... corn is revealed in my usual pile of poop" - betweentheeyes
I usually like Voisin, but I think her take on Hawes is moronic.
Hawes will never be a serious player in this league. Soft with bad knees is a poor resume.
You...usually...LIKE...Voisin!?!
I…I, mean…WHY!?! Just…WHY!?!
"We're trapped inside the matrix, forced to play our hand. We're filled with so much hatred, the kids don't stand a chance." -- B.o.B. (aka Bobby Ray).
by PhutureKings on Jun 20, 2010 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
And he was brave enough to admit it.
To us. Out loud!
… Brave… or really stone drunk.
Bold Prediction: Whoever we pick 5th this year will have a better NBA season than whoever was picked 5th last year.
Wash your mouth with soap!!!
Purveyor of Bull Plop
I disagree. They could be more different. Say, if one was a Martian and the other a lamp. Or one was a jump rope champion and the other a telephone booth. Or one was a taco boat and the other a desert tortoise. Or …
if one was a credible journalist and the other was Aileen Voison
by Dub_TC on Jun 20, 2010 12:09 PM PDT reply actions 7 recs
This Voison article was very ungood
that is all
Please note the 11 next to my name. All others are frauds.
Ziller, I'm beginning to think that Voison is using you like agents use the press.
She can’t get anyone to read her stuff in the newspaper, so she comes up with these rediculous articles knowing that you’ll go nuts and front page it on this site.
With all the comments and all the people who read your post but didn’t comment, I think you at least tripled her readership.
Please stop quoting her articles.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
No, you give her too much credit.
That might be the Bee’s reason for keeping her, but I have no doubt she believes the garbage she writes.
As to whether Ziller should keep writing about her: “Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions.” – Thomas Jefferson.
by henryclemente on Jun 20, 2010 3:44 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Gold. Comedy gold.
Note for you Lost-a-holics: in the sideways universe, Ailene Voisin takes a pass on the Dalembert-Hawes trade, leaving Dalembert in Philadelphia and Hawes in Sacramento, where he can continue to receive passes from Ricky Rubio and set screens for shirtless Peja Stojakovic under the watchful glare of Bill Laimbeer.
m*****f***ing c***s***ing peanut butter and jelly!! f*** f*** f***!!!
by JediLeroy on Jun 20, 2010 3:10 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
What I want to know
Is does Ailene make enough to pay someone to clean up after the twenty monkeys she employs to write her columns for her, or does she have to do it herself?
It would seem fair to have her do it herself. I mean, if we have to wade through all this crap…
(Note: I am not being cruel to monkeys. I’m reasonably certain she doesn’t let them watch actual basketball games, so that she can reasonably pass off their writing as her own.)
StR Token Female
by LeaguePassAddict on Jun 20, 2010 5:20 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
I have to wonder about her mindset to come up with all of this stuff.
It is as though she is totally oblivious to what is going on. She does know that we need a center who rebounds and blocks shots. Right?
The swapping of a young finesse center for an athletic veteran who runs, rebounds, blocks shots and promises to create major congestion in the lanes at Arco Arena?
Yet, she passes on this. Where has she been all season? On another planet? I guess that is what you mean by the monkeys writing her stories for her, because for all practical purposes, Ailene has not been present.
I want to thank my psychiatrist. - Ron Artest, June 17, 2010, after winning NBA Championship.
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
- John Wooden
If you want to be your best, you have to do your best, otherwise you are only second rate.
That is, apparently, one thing she does not know.
Even though she knows that Hawes’ family was outraged, that Westphal is not going to change the offense, and that the Tyreke Evans of last season is the one that will be with us forever.
I’m so disgusted with her barely disguised lust being passed off as journalism.
StR Token Female
by LeaguePassAddict on Jun 20, 2010 5:58 PM PDT up reply actions
I am too.
As a woman, I used to be very proud of her being a sports journalist in what is largely a man’s world. Her lustful and sexist comments about the players and other journalists is embarrassing. Can’t she see that people are mocking her for these statements? The sense of pride that I used to feel for her has been replaced with a loss of respect for her lack of professionalism.
I want to thank my psychiatrist. - Ron Artest, June 17, 2010, after winning NBA Championship.
Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
- John Wooden
If you want to be your best, you have to do your best, otherwise you are only second rate.
She also just totally disregards the salary situation as if it doesn't exist.
Getting rid of Nocioni was just a bonus. Hawes was never going to take us anywhere. Dalembert probably won’t either, but is likely a better fit with this club and once his salary is off the books maybe we can make even more moves. Not only is the article poorly written, but it assumes so much that it just isn’t fair to assume such as Hawes being shipped out for pissing the coach off and that none of the other salary issues played a part in this. It was a plus plus in my view. Gain a large expiring contract of a player that is actually servicable, unload Nocioni, and start to look to lock up the players that you actually want to keep. Hawes was no longer one of those guys and as we learned with Francisco, we shouldn’t just lock up guys to lock them up for several years based on potential.
Fantasy sports author for Rototimes and Fanball. Northern California sports fanatic.
by The Czar on Jun 20, 2010 6:14 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Very well said
… start to look to lock up the players that you actually want to keep. Hawes was no longer one of those guys and as we learned with Francisco, we shouldn’t just lock up guys to lock them up for several years based on potential.
Unless they are total assholes, we like all of our guys and want them to do well, especially the ones we drafted, but sometimes things just don’t work out, particularly from where we were drafting for so many years.
We don’t have the luxury of hoping guys will get better. They have to prove themselves quickly, in 1-2 year, to set a standard we can judge them by, and we’ll take what they provide beyond that as gravy.
"I know we certainly gave up a lot to get him, but we do have other players on the perimeter who we can plug in. We haven’t had anybody who we feel is a go-to guy in the post. So we gave up a lot to get a lot, and we’re real excited about adding Carl." - Paul Westphal
this is really funny
“In a band with Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison, Ringo Starr was the only musician to own a gong.”
by frijole ghost on Jun 20, 2010 7:30 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Ailene is............Ailene.
I’ve learned to accept her analysis for what it is: Nothing.
EvilCowtownInc: Screwin Suckaz over since 1985......
Maybe we should adjust our stats to per36 years of age? -- ElRonToro
No mistakes in the tango, Donna. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....
It's like she sees herself as a villain
Complete with all-black wardrobe. She openly roots for the Lakers in the Sacramento newspaper! What the hell is that? At least we don’t have to plot her demise—the Bee is crumbling…
by basketball galactica on Jun 20, 2010 10:58 PM PDT reply actions
Aileen gave up..
Aileen gave up on being a journalist. She decided she wants to write an opinion’s column, just for sports. It’s a travesty because she has never played any sport at any pro level. I’m thinking she just records someone in the bar, and then uses a computer to convert it to a word document, then goes back to dreaming of Orange County. She talks trash about every Sac King that isn’t her friend, she hates snowboarders (she skis), she probably would be happy to tell you how she prefers Indy over Nascar and why, if you gave her the time. I can’t believe she has a job. She’s just one of us, writing on a comment board…
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