Resolve This

New Year's Resolutions are an unavoidable, yet ultimately pointless part of life. We (to varying extents) obsess over our imperfections, set often unrealistic, arbitrary goals off an artificial launching pad, and grow increasingly skeptical each year when we inevitably bail on them. Even people like me, who disagree with the supposed need to align self-improvement with a new calendar, are governed by tradition; constantly reminded by ubiquitous media blurbs (and the occasional nosy relative) about why we should suddenly be becoming better people.

That being said, the NBA season offers a more practical need for these things. The New Year represents a time for resolution; not because we flipped a digit, but because the schedule's a third over, and hitting its stride; roles have been defined, rotations sorted out, and the coming weeks are where teams truly develop the kind of productive habits (and maybe a make a few well-timed moves) that will translate to a successful season...and where those that don't will be left with lottery balls. So, in keeping with tradition (and the convenient cliche that this occasion provides every sports writer), here are some NBA"New Year's" Resolutions.

Atlanta Hawks - Get used to the view. Because the Hawks might be more firmly entrenched in no-mans-land than any other team. They're a few pieces away from contending; at best fourth on the depth chart of a very shallow conference. Yet their team is still (relatively) young and financially committed; neither of which tend to invite re-building among semi-successful teams.

Boston Celtics - Rest up. Rondo, and more gravely KG going down this early (especially when they're playing this well) aren't great signs for a team that's yet to suit up Kendrick Perkins and is still working in Jermaine O'Neal. Last year, they proved to everyone that they can flatline midseason and then make a Finals run from the 4-seed, so regular season wins won't be nearly as important as full health come the spring. Their balanced attack won't force too much on any one player, so stay on cruise control and hope the injury bug's bit already.

Charlotte Bobcats - Hire Michael Jordan an assistant; somebody to be the angel on his shoulder and show him how to run an NBA team anywhere but into the ground from the front office. Make a fucking trade. Do something. This team is boring as hell and clearly a downgrade from last season. Don't dwell on how well they players they lost are doing; Larry Brown wasn't the right coach for this team, but their problems run much deeper than personnel. Trade some of their veteran talent for youth and a new identity to run with the new coach; your team hit its ceiling at 6th in the East. Time to throw the switch.

Chicago Bulls - Clear all suitcases in Carlos Boozer's path. He's been an absolute monster this year, and the most injury-prone part of a team that could scare some of the East's best at full strength. Derek Rose's pre-season Slam cover's looking awfully prophetic, and Joakim Noah was becoming a true beast even playing through a lingering injury. Just keep 'Los healthy long enough for it to all come together.

Cleveland Cavaliers - Dig deep. Honestly. This team had itself believing that they were gonna be alright in Year One A.L. They played .500 ball (good enough for the 7 seed in the East these days) through the first few weeks, scared a few good teams, and had everyone outside of JJ Hickson making solid contributions. Then Lebron waltzed back into town, reminded everyone what they were missing, and took the wind out of the entire team when he left, not-at-all-coincidentally sending them into a complete meltdown. If they can forget James and develop a sense of optimism, they'll be alright, but right now they look like fish out of water.

Dallas Mavericks - Forget the past. This looks like a much different team from the one thats been sleeping through the playoffs for the last decade; they can still score from almost anywhere, but have a newfound defensive sense that will benefit them over 7 games. When April rolls around, they won't be able to avoid the naysayers who will expect them to fold, but Cuban's Mavs finally look like they might be built to last...if the recently rejuvenated (and more recently seriously injured) Caron Butler's back in time.

Denver Nuggets - Focus. Hard as it is amid the media frenzy. At some point in the next month in a half, you're going to have to trade the most talented player to wear your team's jersey, hell arguably ever. Two teams with several attractive pieces want him very badly, and you're in a position of power. You're going to have to milke every drop out of this unfortunate circumstance (clearly you're getting nowhere near equal value), while respecting the market and not being greedy, winding up like Phoenix. Months of speculation have led up to this, so make it worthwhile.

Detroit Pistons - Do something already. Their roster is chock full of talent that, despite many misguided attempts to be awkwardly forced together, just isn't meshing. Plenty of contenders could use a player like Tayshaun or Rip, and their young talent spends too much time lost in playing time shuffles to get anything going. Joe Dumars used to be the ballsiest GM in the NBA, but after the Iverson misfire, he's been very trigger shy. He needs to free up some floor time for the guys he can't trade (Villanueva, Gordon) rather than drowning them in comparable talent.

Golden State Warriors - Be honest with yourself. Sure, the Steph Curry/Monta Ellis backcourt is an exciting proposition; they're both awesome players. But the rest of the season needs to be a sincere evaluation of not only how compatible they are, but the true extent of their surely-stratospheric trade value. The Warriors have too many shortcomings for their two most talented players to be so similar, so once Curry gets healthy, keep an eye on things.

Houston Rockets - Launch Plan B. The Rockets have been stockpiling young talent at four positions, and now with Yao Ming's career apparently over, it's detonation time. This bunch is a fringe playoff team at 100%, even with Kevin Martin scoring at the proficient rate of his career and Luis Scola taking things to the next level. There's no shortage of teams looking for the kind of affordable talent that Houston plenty of; for the first time in half a decade they can hope to build towards a franchise player who can play a full season.

Indiana Pacers - Check Roy Hibbert's asthma meds. Much of the credit for Indy's early success was attirbuted to Hibbert's newfound bounce, which he in turn attributed to the discovery of activity-induced asthma and, um....hot yoga classes. Recently, Hibbert's been on the snide health and production-wise, while the Pacers are 3-7 over their last ten. It'll take a lot to fall out of the East playoffs, but this isn't a comforting trend for Pacers fans (if they really exist).

LA Clippers - Impeach Donald Sterling. Yong superstars are hard to please these days, and the Clips have a storied history of either letting young talent walk, or creating a situation so dysfunctional that no sane person would commit to it. Meanwhile, their belated rookie is an absolute monster who's pretty much wrapped the Shawn Kemp Memorial Award and looks like the kind of player that could finally turn things around for LA's Other Team...If Sterling doesn't ruin it for everyone. He's the worst owner in the league, and not exactly looking to sell, so make a public plea before you lose a guy who already looks like the best Clipper ever.

LA Lakers - Wake the fuck up. After the Lakers slept through a Christmas Day meltdown at the hands of the suddenly hot Heat, they were drubbed again on their homecourt by the Bucks and Grizzlies, plummeting to within a half-game of fifth and appearing to have lost any swagger or hunger they still carried over the summer. This team is talented, deep, and well-coached; they're the two-time defending champs and have no excuse for playing this poorly. It's all a matter of re-gaining that mentality, and the Zen Master won't let this carry on much longer.

Memphis Grizzlies - Grow comfortable with mediocrity. Like Atlanta, they've shackled themselves financially; committing to young talent that's worth holding onto, but hardly winning much of consequence. Unlike Atlanta, they've never won a playoff series in franchise history, so this team being a prime candidate for a close playoff snub should be about par for the course.

Miami Heat - ...Do nothing? The team everyone loves to hate is giving them all the more reason. They put the shaky start to bed and now look like a serious contender, rolling everyone in their path, including the Lakershow in their much-hyped Turkey showdown. Their 3 stars are all clicking and the momentum they're riding right now seems almost unbreakable, much to the discontent of basically everyone.


Milwaukee Bucks - Take the Fear out of the Deer. The Bucks are constantly playing in headlights. That's not entirely unexpected from a Scott Skiles team (I'm still waiting for HBO special on Bucks training camp, where John Salmons breaks down in one of those confessional interviews and reveals that Skiles whips him with a belt for missed jumpers), this was entirely unexpected. Ride the recent success out West into an easier schedule and remember, although it's slightly improved, you guys still play in the Eazy-East.


Minnesota T-Wolves - Ignore the W/L column. Not only because this team has pulled out several close losses to teams they had no business beating, but because they might be the most poorly mismatched bunch of talent in the NBA, and their terrible record belies the underrated progress of their young players. Kevin Love's clearly a beast, but impressive performances from everyone to Michael Beasley down to Wesley Johnson and even Luke Ridnour suggest that this team might be a couple shrewd moves away from something significant...Although "shrewd" might be among the last words used to describe David Kahn. They'd be best not to discourage themselves further.


New Jersey Nets - Kidnap LaLa Anthony and ship her to the Galapagos Islands. Without an MTV diva in Melo's ear about NYC, it's one less thing standing between them and, let's face it, the most important goal of theirs this season. With Prokhorov's bottomless pockets and rumored mob connects, how hard can it be?


New Orleans Hornets - Keep Chris Paul's coffee fresh. As the Hornets begin to show their true colors, the rumors about Paul's "surely imminent" departure are bound to creep out of the woodwork again. There's no telling just how much of a rebuilding effort he's willing to put up with, but if they think trading for his college rival/buddy to warm his bench spot is the difference..well...might be time for a new pot.


New York Knicks - Pray this 'Melo thing works. 'Cause the speculation around this; everyone from Spike to Anthony himself saying it's a sure thing, on the heels of this summer, will not die over well if he winds up in East Rutherford, or Brooklyn, or wherever the hell the Nets are playing next year.


Oklahoma City Thunder - Don't sweat expectations. There was almost too much hype surrounding these guys preseason; people tagging them as the undisputed bridesmaids to the inevitable Lakers crown. Be honest, they're still a ways from peaking; this team has won exactly two playoff games and even with this season's baby steps, is still ahead of its time. Forget that experienced, talented teams are where they were supposed to be; they've got the talent, and the experience to put them among the elite will come quickly if they don't get frustrated and keep growing.


Orlando Magic - Find a third big man. The blitzkrieg attack the Magic have been launching since their recent blockbusters has looked a lot better than the languid mess they were previously regressing into. Brandon Bass looks like a fine starting 4 in their system. But the onus they'll be putting on D12 in a physical 7 game series just got a lot bigger, especially against the onimous Celtics. The Arenas move shouldn't be their last.


Philadelphia 76ers - Trade Andre Iguodala now. He's having a sub-par season that's more easily blamed on your crappy offense the less it persists. Thaddeus Young is a less expensive alternative who creates mismatches against virtually every opposing 3 and always produces when injuries to Philly's overpaid frontcourt free him up. Oh yeah, and the team's awful; has been for years. Mix it up already.


Phoenix Suns - Resign yourselves to the same fate as the Grizz; an early playoff exit or a late lottery pick. Purgatory sucks doesn't it.


Portland Trailblazers - Fire your fucking trainer, if it wasn't already done a long time ago.


Sacramento Kings - Do something with your frontcourt. It's a mess. They have equally talented players who don't complement each other well at all, fighting for minutes at all spots. Jason Thompson sees most of his minutes out of position at the 3. Carl Landry never gets the consistent floor time to develop the rhythym he had in Houston. This team gets lumped in with Minny and Detroit among bottom dwellers who would give themselves a much better chance this season if they'd stop squatting on such incompatible talent.


San Antonio Spurs - Trust everything Gregg Popovich tells you. This especially applies to his notion that a good start in a conference full of underperforming (and unhealthy) teams is bad for them, but also to generally anything he says. If Gregg Popovich told me he was Jesus reincarnated, I'd feel inclined to believe him.

Toronto Raptors - Play defense; if that doesn't work (and it likely won't), trade for players that do. It's like a broken "Party in the USA" record, repetitive and annoying. The Raps can't seem to bolster their roster with enough defensive toughness to offset their liabilities. Now armed with maybe the League's best expiring deal, they can look to land something functional.

Utah Jazz - Win the West. Because it's not out of reach and probably the only thing they can do to get Jerry Sloan the Coach of the Year award he shamefully hasn't won yet.

Washington Wizards - Convince Javale Mcgee and Andray Blatche to grow the f*** up. Anger management, boot camp, Nanny 911, whatever they need. After ridding themselves of Gilbert, Washington's new resident headcases have been causing problems all year. Sad part is, they're two the the NBA's most promising young bigs; but maturity seems hard to come by in DC.

Hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season; more importantly good luck getting back to real life. See y'all on the weekend.

Javale Mcgee Knows No Fear

One of the many highlights of League Pass this season has been getting to watch Javale Mcgee on a regular basis. Washington's highly athletic, highly inconsistent starting centre is truly unique. He's versatile; comfortable both posting and facing up far from the basket, where his go-to move is typically an unconscious dribble in the general area of the hoop, followed by a long-jump-style leap into an awkward floater over 3 defenders, while Andray Blatche and Al Thornton stand wide open in disgust. It's absolutely hilarious. (Every now and then, when he's motivated, he turns into a one-man shot-blocking production line, sending anything that comes near the net into the 20th row, but back to the point...)

Last week, the Wiz were being completely waxed by the Kings in a mundane affair that obviously left Mcgee craving more excitement. In the game's waning moments, he found himself on a wide open break, decided to attempt a free-throw line dunk, and missed it as horribly and awkwardly as humanly possible (...and believe me, I know a thing or two about embarrassing missed dunks).

Evidently, the jeers from the crowd, the laughs from his teammates, and the dubious internet stardom (his shank was featured on Yahoo's homepage, among other places) haven't phased him. A few nights later, well...if you haven't seen this already, you really need to just take it in and come up with your own ridiculous adjective for it; the title says it well. This guy might be my new favourite player in the league.

To Sad Endings & New Beginnings...

When news broke earlier this week of a stress fracture in Yao Ming's foot ending his season for the zillionth time, reactions throughout the basketball community were, well, subdued. Although this was obviously a tragic setback for a star who put retirement ahead of more rehab, there was an utter lack of surprise; to some extent, we all knew this was coming. Like Greg Oden before him, we'd all seen Yao succumb to his own body too many times to expect he'd get it together.

Yao was different though, in that he had already established himself as a star in this League, and probably would've been fine if the commies running China's national team had bothered to let him rest for a few weeks during the prime of his career. Yao played in 82, 82 and 80 his first three seasons, and was becoming a dominant talent. But the second Houston's seasons ended, he was shipped back to the homeland for a busy international schedule that often had him arriving late for training camp and certainly betrayed the concept of an "offseason". As the constant pounding took its toll (remember, 350 pounds is a lot to carry around), Yao averaged an anemic 58 games over the next four seasons, before shutting it down all of last year, and now facing a similar fate.

It seems far safer to call Yao's career over, relative to Oden's. He's older, has nothing really to prove, owns his own pro team in China, and has already hinted at this being the end. It's also far more difficult; he was a much better player and a noble, gregarious global ambassador for a league that's clearly looking to grow its international influence. If this is the last we see of him - and all signs point to it being that way - what a shitty (albeit predictable) way for it all to end. Keep your head up Yao, hope that "fried chicken and beer" tastes damn good.

Only a few days of mourning passed before Yao's dilemma was sidetracked by the season's first blockbuster(s), which dramatically overhauled the floundering Orlando Magic. Their first deal shipped Vincent Lamar to Phoenix, along with Mickael Pietrus and Marcin Gortat, in exchange for Jason Richardson, Earl Clark and the ghost of Hedo Turkoglu. As though that weren't enough of a dice roll, the Magic then shipped Rashard Lewis to Washington for Gilbert Arenas, setting a new Guinness record for "shitty NBA contracts traded in a single day".

Phoenix, caught in that awkward no-mans-land between contending and rebuilding, now at least has a more functional team. While they shed two of their 90 small forwards, they gained a legitimate centre and probably the only defensive-minded player on their roster. Gortat will allow Channing Frye and Robin Lopez to spend more time at the 4 (where both of them should be more effective), helping to shore up the league's worst-rebounding team. The jury's still out on whether Vince can provide any positive effect, but I can already envision Steve Nash becoming frustrated with him and freezing him out of the offense. In about two weeks. Ultimately, these Suns, (read:Nash) have made offensive contributors out of anyone they've plugged in, so the versatility they gained should outweigh the firepower they lost.

Washington, meanwhile, made a dubious decision. Trading Gilbert was an obvious move; after last season's handgun mishap and John Wall's drafting, he made (Agent) Zero sense for them. What made even less sense (I know it's mathematically impossible, but work with me here) was for them to take on what's very likely, dollar-for-dollar, the worst contract in the NBA in return. Lewis' monster of a deal comes off the books a year later than Gilbert's, forcing a rebuilding team that's losing money even more than easy games into deeper financial commitment. Although Wall will have a much more freedom now, the team as a whole might've just enslaved themselves.

...Which brings us to Orlando; the centrepiece of these blockbusters and the team with, far and away, the most to lose. After losing 5 of 6 and watching Boston and Miami reel off double-digit win streaks, I've heard this makeover get called everything from a panic move to a calculated gamble. The Magic gained a lot of offensive potency, picking up two bonafide scorers and returning Hedo to a city that clearly has some sort of PED-type effect on his game. Vince and Rashard were both having their worst seasons in recent memory, so getting rid of them wasn't hard, but fitting the new pieces together may be harder than it looks... (disclaimer: I'm of the firm belief that the Magic aren't done dealing yet, but let's proceed under the necessary assumption that they're going to try and win a title with this team)

First of all, this was a very expensive move for the Magic. They shed Lewis and Carter's bloated contracts, but also took on those of Arenas, Turkoglu and (to a lesser extent) Richardson, while burying JJ Redick (35$ mil this past offseason) on the bench. Obviously they're a successful team in a competitive market, but they just raised their risk profile considerably.

Defense also becomes a serious achilles heel for this team. Forget that they have Howard in the middle, the Magic have now lost their only potent wing defenders (Pietrus, and previously Matt Barnes), and given up Gortat; an excellent defender himself, and one of the NBA's best backup big men. Not that Carter or Lewis was a great defender, but all this does is increase the reliance on Howard, with more holes to patch, which will likely lead to more help-D fouls and less time on the court for their franchise player.

Orlando now possesses the weapons to be an offensive nightmare, but leaves serious doubts about its ability to succeed in the physical, halfcourt grind of the playoffs. They made it to the Finals two years ago with Dwight drawing coverage and open 3's raining from all angles, but the competition is far tougher this year. Dwight will have a much harder time dominating Boston's deep frontcourt than he did the Cavs' joke of one, and Miami's Superfriends will be much harder to match up with in an up-tempo shootout.

Orlando looks to be on Phoenix's flipside after this trade; they're certainly more talented, but perhaps less functional. In any event, it looked like a move needed to be made, and the front office certainly can't be blamed for a lack of balls. Regardless of whether this team's done shuffling, it'll be a serious adjustment for Stan Van Jeremy, D12, Jameer, hell the rest of the East's contenders. The Magic seriously shook things up here; it's gonna take a while for it to settle and see just what the payoff is. That being said, there's been an epidemic of complacency around the NBA lately when moves clearly need to be made, so Orlando should be applauded for pulling the trigger and at least rolling the dice before the season slid further.

PED Watch: The Early Most Improved Candidates

Now well into December, we're already rounding the corner of the regular season's first quarter, weird as it seems. "Weird"s also a rather appropriate way to describe the NBA season so far; things are just a bit out of place. I mean sure, the Lakers, Spurs, Magic and Celtics are kicking ass, Greg Oden and Yao Ming are down for the count, the Clippers are underwhelming and every player who isn't a Boston Celtic hates Kevin Garnett, some things never change...

But look at the other side: The almighty Heat, despite having hit their stride since The Return, have kinda sucked so far. The Indiana Pacers, long buried in boredom and awfulness, have been kinda good. A 6'9" white dude who your arthritic grandfather can outjump is owning the rebounding game. Derek Rose can suddenly shoot, Brook Lopez suddenly can't, Darko Milicic suddenly is a legit starting center and the Post-Bosh Raptors (!) actually look like playoff contenders. Hell, the early-season MVP favorite hasn't been the best player on his own team so far, in a race where the names "James" and "Wade" are nowhere to be found for the first time in over a half-decade.

Yep, things are-a-changin' all over the league, as it is with these next few players; the guys who really put in work over the summer and have come out with significantly improved game, the early season favorites for Most Improved Player...


Roy Hibbert - A big part of the Pacers' impressive early start (and subsequent shaking of Least Relevant status) has been Hibbert showing up looking 50 pounds lighter than last spring and displaying a more polished offensive game than ever. His svelte new cut has meant an improved motor without all that weight to carry; he attacks the boards harder, still imposes as a shot blocker, and finishes with greater athleticism. Indiana's resurgence this year has been almost as unlikely as Hibbert's transition from immobile mass to future All-Star.

Eric Gordon -Despite his recent 3-point woes, the all-around maturation of Gordon's game has given the Clippers one of the best young prospects they'll ever eventually lose to free agency. One of the many beneficiaries of the "Team USA" effect(no joke, with the exception of a slightly-injured Kevin Durant, every player from that team has come back much better than last season), Gordon has become a relentless basket-attacker who gets to the line at an alarming rate and defends the wing much better than your typical scoring 2. Unfortuantely for him, the growth he experienced this summer is unlikely to be fostered well while sharing a backcourt with Baron Davis and playing for the f***ing Clippers.

Kevin Love - Nobody's arguing about playing time now. Perhaps sparked by an opening-night benching, Love has been dropping 20/20 more than your local optometrist and pairing with a fellow MIP candidate (see below) to make Minnesota's frontcourt future without Al Jefferson look pretty bright. Another Team USA vet, Love has also displayed an impressive touch from distance, recently icing 43 straight free-throws and tying a franchise mark with 8 consecutive 3's made. His improved scoring, unlikely dominance of the boards, and now unquestioned role in Minny's frountcourt will make him a strong candidate all year.

Michael Beasley -Emerging from his purple haze, Beasley has been re-born in a T-Wolves jersey as a much more potent scorer who plays with more energy on both ends of the floor. His early-season outburst of 25+ games fueled his confidence and earned him the green light as the go-to guy Minnesota thought they'd spend the whole season searching for. While he waits for his defensive attention span and decision-making to catch up with his knack for putting the ball the in the basket, Beasley can operate under the low expectations and long leash of one of the NBA's worst teams, and hopefully not lose his mind again.

Darko Milicic - I mean, the rest of Minnesota's frontcourt's here, why not round out the lineup? Milicic has come out of nowhere this year with several monster offensive performances to complement his league-leading shotblocking. He rebounds with more aggression, is becoming a more confident passer, and scores efficiently when Michael Beasley decides to share the ball. He's still eons away from justifying his immortal draft selection, but after such immense disappointment, its encouraging to see he's finally becoming, well, something.

Russell Westbrook -Team USA stand up! Westbrook has been putting up absolutely gaudy numbers for a Thunder squad that's found itself in an awkward early-season purgatory between last year's 8th seed and this season's immense expectations. While Kevin Durant's been at less than 100%, Westbrook has picked up the slack as a lethal scoring threat, improving his jumper while getting to the hoop against anyone and wetting 90% from the stripe. He's upped his assists, rebounds and steals, while owning the floor in recent overtime Ws at Indiana and New Jersey. Everyone knew Westbrook was good, but if the season ended today he'd likely get more MVP votes than his boy KD.

Dorrell Wright -Wright, foolishly disbanded from the Heat's makeover, landed in Oakland where he found a niche in the Warriors' new slightly-more-defensive scheme with his length and athleticism on the perimeter. Along the way, he proved himself to be a lethal 3-point shooter, which never hurts your stock in Golden State. The result has been increased numbers across the board for Wright, including a double-up in scoring. He may be seeing the floor twice as much, but his game has obviously improved if he could only log 20/game with the shallowest team in the League last year.

Raymond Felton - Mike D'Antoni has significantly augmented the career prospects of yet another point guard. After getting two MVP's for Steve Nash and a guaranteed contract for Chris Duhon, Mike plucked Raymond Felton from the obscurity of the Bobcats and made him a star in the Big Apple. Felton's responded by playmaking at a much more efficient rate and becoming the dangerous scorer that the Bobcats' molasses-paced offense never allowed for, and unlike previous D'Antoni quarterbacks, he's a solid defender, hawking almost 2 balls/game. When the Knicks return to the playoffs in April, they should give him a garnished portion of Eddy Curry's salary.

Tyson Chandler - Everyone and their grandma claimed Chandler had gone the way of forever-linked-classmate Edward Curry after the dud he put up last year. A trade to Dallas and a summer with the best young players in the country did wonders for a re-born Chandler who appears to have gone the way of Hedo Turkoglu circa 2008 instead. Anchoring the best defense the Mavs have ever fielded, he's a feared rebounder and shot-blocker who's proving he can finish without Chris Paul setting him up and earning praise from teammates and media alike for his improved basketball IQ and court awareness.

Jrue Holiday -Surprising nobody, the Sixers are pretty bad this year. A mis-matched bunch of youngsters with very little identity or cohesion are bound for another wayward season. In this instance though, the lack of direction should be blamed on the ship and not the captain, for the guy running the point for the Sixers might be the only thing that's right about them right now. Holiday brings a unique mix of scoring and adept playmaking; he's Lou Williams on ritalin. He plays a controlled game, defends well, and would be getting many more assists on a team that wasn't so shitty on offense. The 76ers have been part of rampant trade talk, in which Holidays has been rumored to be their only untouchable, which can't be very good news for him.

Seriously? Nah, You're Joking...

I know, I couldn't believe it either. Just as one often-mocked draft bust solidified his legacy, another, seemingly bound for eternal damnation, sought to create a new one. The big buzz around the NBA has been punchline/punching bag Darko Milicic showcasing more talent this past week than in seven prior seasons combined. His latest outing of 21/4/2 with 3 blocked shots was preceded by 23/16/5, swatting 6 against the feared Lakers frontcourt (I know you've heard about it 100 times by now, but read that over again a few times, maybe Youtube some Darko Milicic compilations to remind yourself just how bad he is, and really appreciate it).

Seems like Darko - who had previously developed into a respectable rebounder and good shot blocker - has found a way to be something more than a moving screen on offense, being called "unstoppable" by Kevin Durant after a close Thunder victory. After endless awkward trials to adapt Milicic to the NBA game had failed, it seemed he'd never get it together. Two games is relatively little to be excited over, but if Milicic can keep himself anywhere near this lever of production, he might be able to salvage a career that, as recently as last summer, had frustrated him to the point of near-retirement. Not to mention that the same player who began to make Joe Dumars (formerly the smartest man in basketball) look like an idiot, might make David Kahn (a mis-cue on repeat) actually look kind of smart. Funny how shit works out sometimes.

Elsewhere, the Toronto Raptors made the first big splash in the trade market, shipping Jarrett Jack, Tracy Morgan and Joe Dirt to the Hornets for Jarryd Bayless, and some guy named Predrag, who hasn't done anything noteworthy lately, but apparently this guy was fourth in MVP voting a few years ago so he must be okay, right?

In all seriousness, Stojakovic fits the Raptors mold for a ton of reasons:
a) he's white and European
b) he's allegedly a good shooter
c) he can't create his own shot or defend a third-grade child
but most importantly...
d) his contract is worth more than the BP cleanup and expires this year, giving a team with way too much long-term capital to have won two games a lot of flex room.

The Raps are an absolute mess (speaking of the BP disaster...) but at least Brian Colangelo's begun to reason that re-building comes through change and sustainability, not greedily throwing money at your problems like he (...and BP...) did this summer. After burying the Raptors' slowly-fossilizing remains in the bloated contracts of Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon, (indirectly, now) Hedo Turkoglu and Amir Johnson, he's finally starting to dig them out of their hole.

See you guys in a few days. Please, for your safety, remember to stay of out Blake Griffin's way.

Requiem for a Career

"Microfracture surgery" and "Greg Oden" are probably the most devastating injury-related terms in pro basketball right now, so when they're mentioned in the same sentence, you know not to take the situation lately. News broke last night of yet another devastation, the latest in a list longer than Shawn Kemp's baby mamas, one that will keep the former no. 1 pick in suits for the rest of the season.

The easy assumption is that his career is over. There have been too many long-term issues with this dude's entire anatomy for any GM off the Great Lakes to want to invest in him; forget the wear-and-tear of an NBA season, Oden's body has regularly succumbed to rehab. In terms of on-court development, he's essentially still in his first year; he's not getting any younger and, at this rate, will be ordering off the senior's menu at IHOP by the time he fulfills his rookie contract. With every passing season, and every awkward, dubious ailment, there was always that slight hope that "maybe, just maybe, Greg Oden can stay on the court this year", but any optimism the Blazers and their fans could've held onto must be dead now. We hardly knew ya.

Whether Oden's ever healthy enough to return to pro basketball, this latest setback will likely cement a historical draft day faux-pas; one that reeks eerily of Portland's immortal fuck-up in '84. Although Oden was touted as a revolutionary defensive presence, nobody needs Captain Hindsight to point out the meteoric rise of the neglected Kevin Durant, only adding insult to injury, after injury, after injury. There's no telling where the Blazers would be had they gone the other route on that fateful day (clearly much closer to a title), but at least they walk away from this mess finally knowing damn well never, under any circumstances, to draft a center with their top pick.

While we're witnessing history here, we're also caught up in a young man's tragedy. I'll be the first to admit that I've had many laughs at Greg's expense, from his bumbling injuries, to him awkwardly and unintentionally ending Dikembe Mutombo's career, to him getting his penis shown to way more people than was ever hoped. But you can't help but feel terrible for this guy right now. His entire life, he was touted as basketball's next big thing; a can't-miss prospect bound for NBA stardom, success and (obviously) millions upon millions of dollars...And now that's all in serious jeopardy. Even if Oden's able to bounce back and have a productive career (which seems very f***ing unlikely at this point), it certainly won't be like it was supposed to.

Never mind Lebron, Greg Oden's really the one asking himself "What should I do?". Hell if I know; he's in an unbearable predicament none of us should envy. All the best going forward, Mr. Oden.

The Appearance of Legitimacy

The 2010-11 NBA season, barely a fortnight old, will be a climactic paradox and carefully manipulated optical illusion. Most fans are going to be distracted by the trials of the Heat, the tribulations of the T-Wolves, the Lakers' quest for another 3-peat, and countless other compelling stories that are unfolding. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, a league that couldn't appear to have much more going for it is having, at least by David Stern's standards, a meltdown.


The last decade was far from kind to the NBA; two waves of economic crisis, rampant player misbehavior, dwindling ratings and attendance, Donaghygate, that whole dress code mishap...Things were another Damon Stoudamire drug arrest away from coming completely undone. The Sternbot, as usual, did a respectable job of protecting his product, but the owners got greedy and began overpaying mediocre-awful players of all shapes and sizes. While those ratings fell and attendance died along with the average American's disposable income, revenues hardly justified the reckless spending, but didn't stop the madness.


Jerome James. Raef Lafrentz. Brian Cardinal. Wally Szczerjiashnfk. Adonal Foyle. The Kandi Man. Beno Udrih. Erick Dampier. Eddy Curry. Rashard Lewis. Charlie Villanueva. Darko Milicic. Amir Johnson. Most recently, Mike Conley. A combination of temporary on-court brilliance and temporary front-office stupidity led to a lot of teams in small markets leaking money like blood in your typical Dexter episode...and the league's apparently losing millions, headed for a lockout, and talking about contraction. Things are about to get ugly.


The current CBA on its deathbed, its wake will be marred by bickering and litigation between players who are understandably pissed about not benefiting from this idiocy, and owners who can't afford to keep being, well, idiots. This idiocy might cost us the first few months of next season, maybe the whole thing, hell it might be even longer if the same type of logic that dug this whole is used to bury it. In the meantime, keeping this impending mess buried beneath the headlines will be easy for Stern and Co: there should be no shortage of them. But the NBA might have done too much damage to get itself there; we've got ourselves a League that's very top-heavy on talent, leaving many teams struggling to stay above water; rising salaries working against a shrinking cap. The front office is going to have to work harder than a Scott Skiles team on a 3-game losing skid to stay out of the danger zone yet again, and after the run they've just had, can ill afford another blow...



...But in the meantime...


- The New Orleans Hornets (!) have slugged it out as the last remaining unbeaten team, against the better judgement of just about everyone. Defensive cohesiveness and a balanced scoring attack have triggered an impressive run that can hardly be blamed on a soft schedule and has stolen all the wind from those Chris Paul trade rumors. Yes, it's still early, but the Hornets have stood out among a slew of impressive starts. I know I was far from alone in pegging them as a lottery team; they're making plenty of fans second-guess themselves with every passing game.


- Minnesota might finally be forced to give the best player starter's minutes after Kevin Love erupted for the hallowed 30/30 against the Knicks; something nobody's done since Moses Malone 28 years ago. Yeah, Shaq, Hakeem, The Admiral, Patrick Chewing, The Mailman, Barkley, Timmy D, KG, none of them ever did that. It's a pretty loud statement coming from a guy who's been averaging 28 minutes/game so far this year, but given the stubbornness and lack of clarity shown by the T-Wolves' suits the past few years, there's no telling if the message was heard...




- Alarms are continuing to sound in Miami after they blew a 20-point lead to the Jazz and needed an LBJ Takeover to even make things close with Boston for the second time in as many weeks. While there are obviously cohesion issues with a team assembled largely form players who've never shared uniforms, more glaring problems are showing. Lebron's complaining about minutes (and then explaining himself...seems like he's had to do that a lot lately...at least he got a Person of the Year nod from Time out of it). Dwyane looks like he misses having the ball so much and goes 1 0n 5 with little hesitation. Bosh is being regularly manhandled on a team even shorter on size than the Raptors, and he'll be the only player not to regularly benefit from Wade/James double-teams. Time (and a healthy Mike Miller) will only help, but talk of 70 wins has suddenly ceded and been replaced with more question marks than Pat Riley had ever hoped to answer to.



- Things are looking relatively better in the city LBJ deserted, where the "desolate" Cavs have been playing close to .500 ball against tough-ish opposition and actually spent a couple days ahead of the Heat in the East standings. Cleveland has a reasonably talented team (at least when you put them up against the rest of the Right Coast's bottom feeders), and now that they're not being coached by a McDonalds mascot's lost brother, are continuing their tough defending while moving the ball more effectively than they're used to and taking advantage of their many shooters. Feel-good stories are corny as hell, but this is a team that had every reason and excuse to fall apart; and one we should all be rooting for.



- A quick moment to truly appreciate what the Indiana Pacers did to the Denver Nuggets the other night: A merciless and ridiculous 54-point quarter, in which the Pacers were an ill-advised Josh McRoberts 3 attempt from going 20-20 from the field. Yup. The f***ing Pacers. The Nuggets have been known to indulge in the occasional defensive lapse, but that'd be too absurd to believe if I hadn't seen it (what up League Pass!). Of course, if only logically follows that two nights later, those same Nuggets handed the defending champs their first loss of the season.



I'm out for now; check back later this week for PED Watch, as Banter takes a look at the season's early Most Improved Player candidates.

One Week In...

Well, it's happened; we're officially back into the regular season grind. After about a week's worth of action, our appetites for somewhat meaningful basketball have been whet, but there's plenty of the ususal early-season uncertainty lingering; things have yet to really take form. While the dust settles and we wait for everything to fall into place, here's a few thoughts from Opening Week:

- When the Wolves traded Al Jefferson to the Jazz in what had to be salary dump (though presuming to know what exactly motivates David Kahn's decisions is foolish and dangerous), the assumption was that versatile pivotman Kevin Love would become the team's new focal point. Naturally, a few eyebrows were raised when Love spent the latter of their opening-night L to the Kings on the bench, his minutes beasted by journeyman Anthony Tolliver. Immediate rumors of dissent began cirulating, stemming from Love's open doubts about his team's long-term plans and an alleged beef with head coach Kurt Rambis. This pattern continuing will lead nowhere constructive, but then again, nothing Kahn's done yet has either. Now that the Knicks are a somehwat-legitimate franchise again, it's comforting to know that at least one billionaire out there's willing to place his valued asset in the hands of a confused dunce for our amusement.

- Rajon Rondo continues to defy adjectives, racking up a ridiculous 24 assists to help the Celts avoid a second humbling loss to a much worse team. Rondo's brilliance - especially in the playoffs - has been almost redundant, but there's still a seeming reluctance to include him in the discussion of Paul, Williams, and (in some circles) even Nash as the NBA's best point guard. Put that talk to rest. I know, me, you and half the European Rider Cup team have nicer jumpers, but Rondo is a transcendant game-changer in every other aspect. As Boston gradually slides into senility, this'll be more and more his team, and that doesn't seem like a bad thing at all.

- The Heat's opening night L to the Celtics stirred up painful memories of last spring's dismantling of the Cleveland Cavaliers: an awkward mess of laughable offensive chemistry that eventually drove Lebron James into "F*** This, I'm Taking Over" mode, only to fall juuust short of a win. Obviously there was going to be a few jitters on opening night, on the road, against the menacing D of a team that arguably was a Kendrick Perkins injury away from kicking off the season with their own ring ceremony...But Miami looked just fucking awful. Alarms went off immediately, but the Superfriends responded with complete dustings of (expectedly) New Jersey and (impressively) Orlando. James, Wade and Bosh are (understandably) still getting used to their new surroundings, and although this was (obviously) going to be a process, Miami (clearly) got sent a message on opening night.

- Nobody's really surprised that the Lakers are still 3-0, but anyone who nabbed the Hawks, Blazers and Hornets as the squads joining them among the last unbeatean deserves a beer or five. Portland took advantage of a sorta weak week (although they looked very nice in an opening-night road win against the unorthodox Suns), while N.O. grinded out three impressive wins over playoff teams that were all favored. The Big Easy was supposed to be a Big Question Mark this year with Chris Paul's ominous trade desire, but a healthy CP3 and a roster of similar talent almost won the West a couple years ago. Obviously it can't be assumed they'll keep this up all year, but if they do, it'll be hard to picture him going anywhere.

- From an allegedly unhappy superstar to one who's just plain blatantly unhappy, Carmelo Anthony has become more vocal about his need to find a basketball court closer to sea level. An obvious inconvenience to a team whose Western Powerhouse status was already in danger, but how exactly this will play out is anybody's guess. Everyone from 'Melo to Spike Lee and countless internet conspiracy theorists see blue and orange in Anthony's future, but the odds are stacked against the Knicks landing him. See, the simple truth is that Carmelo Anthony is incredibly unlikely to be a free agent next summer, so he's unlikely to have an ultimate say in the matter. There's a 0% chance the Nuggets are going to let him walk, and only a minutely higher chance that a team will part with the proper talent to land a Top-10 player only to lose him in a couple months. 'Melo's going to be dealt to a team he's happy with and will commit to, but New York simply doesn't have the pieces (outside of Amar'e of course) to make much of an offer. Unless Denver's front office feels desperate, the market for a superstar gets Sham-Wowed, or the conspiracy theorists are all right, bet against the Knicks. Again.

- And finally, this week delivered the shocking revelation that, after months of relentless demonization, Lebron James would've handled The Decision differently. Really. No Shit. Because it went so smoothly, and everybody really agreed with how things played out. James said what we all wanted to hear, but after hating Lebron became a popular fad and the race card was played so stupidly, this admission seems kinda trite and results-oriented. It's the season now Lebron, let this be the end of the drama and let your play do the talking; it's what we'd all rather hear.

Here We Go Again...

I fucking hate winter.

This isn't some kind of casual "this moron's driving ten under the limit!" or "that emo couple over in the corner of the library needs to lay off the heavy petting" half-hearted discontent, but unrelenting despising. The miserable bite of the cold. The mounds of emission-stained snow. The nasal congestion that always ensues. Exams. Term papers. Christmas carolers.....Ugh. It's nature's version of The English Patient; long, confusing and depressing. Half of me doesn't blame Bosh and Lebron for signing with the Heat if only to escape the chilly abyss.

Of course, as with most things in life, there's an upside to this shitty turn of events; when the weather falls off, it's a sure sign that the NBA season's not far away. Sure enough, in just under 48 hours the 2010-11 season will tip off, giving fans plenty of reasons to get excited:

10. The End of Baseball

Seriously. What a waste of time. A pointlessly long 160-game season, consisting of 98% stationary "athletes" who treat HGH like it's a column in their box score. Any "sport" in which a man in David Wells' physical condition can be an elite performer should be broadcast exclusively on ESPN3. Not a single one of us should be sad to see it go...And even if you are, don't worry, it's not like "Spring Training" doesn't start in f***ing February or anything.

9. Miami Brings the Heat

Some of us will love them, a lot of us will hate them, but all of us are going to have our eyes glued on South Beach this season. Like it or not, the Superfriends are gonna be the talk of the NBA. They're gonna hog beat writers, tabloids and highlight reels like Ben Gordon with the rock in the 4th quarter, but their situation will be compelling regardless of how it plays out. There's not much to be said about them that hasn't been a million times by any basketball fan, so let's just enjoy the show.

8. Being David Kahn

I have a very tough time figuring out how this guy manages to keep a straight face when he appears in public. I think it must be incredibly difficult to try and rationalize (to a large audience) your extended praise of - and financial commitment to - Darko Milicic, your unconstructive point guard hoarding or explaining your apparent side gig as Michael Beasley's drug counsellor, without at least smirking. Even deeper, I'm astonished that a look of unmistakable "...dude...they actually still haven't fired me!" disbelief isn't constantly plastered on his mug. As confounding as this is for me, after the summer saw him take on more dead weight and trade his best player for a pair of New Balances, the biggest mystery is going to be figuring out just what exactly Kahn's trying to do with his franchise.

7. Redemption Songs

Comebacks are always an essential part of a good season; guys who overcome any of many hurdles to get their once-derailed careers back on track. There's no shortage of potential this year, beginning with the well-chronicled woes of one Yao Ming. The Rockets center will be on the shortest of leashes as he delicately tries not to shatter the glass slippers that support his 7'6'' frame for the 328th, and potentially final time. Speaking of short leashes, Gilbert Arenas is back, ironically now at shooting guard, hoping to make it through an NBA season for the first time in five years. Hedo Turkoglu finds himself in an ideal system for his game after a season of utter embarassment in Toronto, and Blake Griffin will finally get a chance to suit up and bring some hope to LA's other team. Andrew Bogut aims to shake off a horrific arm injury, while Michael Redd tries to salvage his career, both would be key to Milwaukee's sudden rebirth...And then there's Greg Oden. Portland's wayward big man has averaged a whopping 20 games over his first 3 seasons, while his one-time draft rival is the trendy MVP favorite. Any of these stories having a happy ending would be an inspring touch to the season, but Oden's has to be the longshot.

6. Thunderstruck

Seats on the Oklahoma City bandwagon have reportedly been breaking sales records at Ticketmaster; everyone from analysts to casual fans seem to be rooting for the ahead-of-their-time Thunder, who appear primed to seize control of a homecourt seed out West. Seriously. The team that was sweeping up the heavy dust in the West basement 18 months ago grew up some fast. With Durant and Westbrook fresh off the most constructive basketball experience of their lives, this team reeks of upside and has a loud cheering section. OKC has quickly evolved from transplanted mess to media sweetheart, and just might become one of the NBA's best teams.

5. More Ron Artest

With every NBA season comes the renewed promise of more quality time with Ron Ron, and the complete lack of limits on the zany shit he might do. After he's done auctioning off his championship ring, there's no telling how Artest will behave as he grows accustomed to life On Top. Maybe he'll compensate with a crown during pregame. Hell, maybe he'll build a palace with his bare hands in the Staples Center parking lot and throw Hennessy parties at halftime. That's the thing with Ron though, he's the biggest box of chocolates Forrest Gump's mom ever bought, there's no telling what we're in store for, but bet on it being completely hilarious.

4. The Return of Court Surfing

Canadian television is horribly neglectful of the NBA, whose season unfortunately syncs perfectly with that of the omnipotent NHL. While hockey dominates most of the sports stations, quality NBA broadcasts are hard to come by. Not only are the habitually awful Raptors playing in over half the games, but the on-air personalities are bland, annoying, obviously Canadian. Breaking the mold cast by Rod Black and Jack Armstrong is the off-center hilarity of Sid Sixseiro and Tim Micallef, who host this weekly basketball ChatRoulette, hopping over to a new game when the current one gets boring. Sid and Tim layer the action with irreverent banter and goofy jokes, topping things off with Court Cuts, the greatest 3 minutes of the week.

3. Like Kobe

I hate going there with the Jordan comparisons, but Kobe Bryant's probably as close as we've seen to His Airness, and with a hand's worth of rings and a dynasty in the making, Bryant is approaching that Rare Air of finally living up to these lofty parallels. But at this point, can't we stop measuring him against the Greatest and just appreciate him as one of the best? We're going to be witnessing history; a crucial chapter in the epic tale of a once-in-a-generation player who always appeared to be jumping at a bar above his own lofty heights. As Kobe builds his impressive legacy, let's not call him Like Mike; let him be Kobe. The least he can ask for at this point in a legendary career is a name for himself.

2. ...Ever Heard of a Lockout?

Let us also not forget that this might be the last full season we get for a while. The players and owners appear to be miles apart on a new CBA, and a lockout of at least a few months is apparently inevitable. So let us all take moment to appreciate what we have, let us not take it for granted. I know it sounds corny, but believe me, next winter when you're stuck watching hockey and curling, seeing more of David Stern than Kobe, Lebron and Durant combined, you'll remember.

1. Behold, League Pass

And on a personal note, the roommates and I decided to splurge on a sports package, which includes my golden ticket to uninhibited NBA coverage.A ny game I want, any time I want. I'm literally shaking as I type this just thinking about it, I'm more excited than I've been since my parents took me to Disney World. On premonition alone, I'd urge any NBA fan to invest, especially Canadians who can save themselves from another season of ballet basketball and Leo Rautins. Or just roll by the crib and see how great it is; I'll be here all winter.

Sticks and Stones Break Bones...Apparently So Do Suitcases

It's that time of year again; the leaves are falling, baseball's almost over (thank God) and Carlos Boozer's injured, yes the NBA season's just around the corner. It's shaping up to be a compelling season, with many stories surrounding a few great teams and the many who aspire to run with them someday. As always in October, there's plenty abuzz in the league, but before I get on with things, a salute is due to New York streetball legend John Strickland, who passed away in his sleep this week at just 38. Most recently an on-court and front-office player form my hometown Halifax Rainmen, his influence ran much deeper: (from the New York Post)

Strickland’s reach goes so far that even Miami Heat star Lebron James mourned his passing on his Twitter account saying: “R.I.P to homie Strick.”Finish Your Breakfast”. Roc Boyz in the building.” Strickland was mentioned in Jay-Z’s hit song Public Service Announcement in the line: “No one can do it better. I check cheddar like a food inspector. My homey Strick told me, ‘Dude, finish your breakfast.’... As a low-post wizard and a superb passer, he once averaged more than 40 points per game at Nike Pro City, considered the circuit’s primer league. Strickland became the first person to win a title there as a player and a coach when he led Gold’s Gym to the championship this summer.

Obviously a huge blow to the basketball community; I'd honestly heard that line hundreds of times, ignorant to it being about the same guy helping hold down my city's only link to pro hoops. Rest in peace Strick, all the best to his family and the Rainmen.

Back in the NBA, the Carmelo Anthony trade rumors that dominated the past couple of weeks have dissipated. After Melo showed up training camp denying any interest in a trade and saying he was perfectly happy, things curiously faded between the Nuggets and the indiscriminate list of teams they had been openly talking to. Based on the reported offers and the complexity of most deals, it sounds like the Nuggets are learning the hard way what Phoenix did every year for the last 3: It's hard to get legit return on a superstar. Denver's going to have to make a rather shitty decision pretty soon: (discounting the .006% chance Carmelo isn't completely full of shit and all these trade rumors are unfounded) either get lowballed for their franchise player or linger on with this imposition looming.

Carlos Boozer and Dwyane Wade have surprised few and vexed many injuring themselves already; Boozer's hand the apparent victim of a dreadedly sinister.....path-blocking suitcase. For some reason, most of the media attention has shone on Boozer and his repeated bouts with the chilling list, but Wade's spotty bill of health seems like a much more pressing matter for the Heat; the plan behind having him exert himself less doesn't seem to be producing the right outcomes. Miami's likely going to bring him back slowly and lose ground in what's sure to be an adjustment process; an injury was bound to happen but one this early, before they've developed any kind of momentum, is critical. Boozer's baggage is clearly a setback for the Bulls, but not only are the stakes not as high for them, plugging 'Los into their offensive scheme in a few weeks will be far easier than orchestrating the co-existence of the two most potent and ball-dominant scorer/distributers in the NBA.

The preseason tipped off with the usual Euroleague cross-promotion, only with their champs (FC Barcelona) knocking off the reigning Lakers. There have been alarms raised by pundits who see this as a cause for concern in LA, but c'mon really? This is the preseason, the rust is getting knocked off (along with a few spare players) and bench mobs are running wild. This isn't a tangible gauge of how teams will play, hell the Raptors are scoring blowout wins. Not only is international basketball getting better by leaps and bounds (like you didn't know), but most NBA teams, let alone the one with maybe the safest bet on playing 'til June, don't give a fuck a right now. Let's not make this into more than it is.

The NBA's annual GM Survey dropped last week, and apparently the high minds disagree with my title prediction, overwhelmingly picking the Lakers to 3-peat. Can't say I mind it. They'll be very, very tough, being not only extremely talented, but having poise on Boston, experience on Miami, and everything on just about everyone out West. I stand by my selection, but regardless of who comes out on top I feel like this is going to be a very competitive Finals; one to rival last year's, which is the only prediction I really care about getting right.

...And in unrelated news, the downward spiral of Steve Francis continues: the former All-Star, whose career arc took a curiously steep dip in the middle of his prime, was arrested yesterday at LAX for public intoxication. An altercation at a ticket counter led to police being called, and Francis posting $10 G's bail after the cuffs were slapped on, he was "intoxicated, unable to care for himself, and combative toward police". Nice to see you're enjoying retirement, Steve.