We Will Not Be Shedding A Tear For The Lakers - The Downbeat - #485

   Should you feel bad for feeling good about the Lakers' demise?  No way.  For one, it's been too long since we've been able to revel in their misfortune.  It's not that they were eliminated from the playoffs it's how they went out that gives me (a hater apparently) so much satisfaction.  

After barely getting by the West-less Hornets, Dallas took them behind the woodshed in Montana with a four-game sweep culminating in a 36-point beat-down in game four.  Seeing Kobe swept in the same way that he came into the league was perfect.  What made things historic is when Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum decided to take the coward's way out and flagrantly foul Dirk and Barea in a game, and a series, that was long over.

For a moment, felt a tinge of sorrow for Phil Jackson.  While they were completely different situations, this untimely and unexpected exit seemed awfully familiar to the way coach Sloan went out.  Neither exit were hardly dignifying for two Hall of Fame coaches.  Then I remembered all of the smug, back-handed and condescending remarks that Phil has said about the Jazz and the other teams and the guilt washed away.

Unfortunately, the series sweep and ugly behavior against the Mavs can't erase the championships won by LA and Phil.  Don't let any "kiss the rings" talk from Laker fans dissuade you from giving them crap.

If you need a final reminder as to what Laker fans are all about (broad generalizations, yes!) just remember this man.

Rooting against other teams in all facets of the game is what makes sports great.   It doesn't matter if your team isn't playing against them.  What are you supposed to do, cheer for them?  Cheering for the Lakers' demise is as American and sportsmanlike as you can get.

  Can I ask a favor of Connect2Utah.com (KUTV & Talking Sports)?  Could you please make the size of your videos smaller?  Nobody likes huge 80X60 videos.  I'm trying to fit a few hundred on my screen at a time.  So if you could cut that size in half, that would be great.  Maybe you could include an option on the player that those people who like big videos where they can make out faces and numbers can expand it to 80X60 if they'd like?  Maybe they should team with ROOT sports and figure out how they can make in-game action smaller with features such as picture-in-picture-in-picture.  The first layer would be scores from around the league, with a frame of NBA news inside of that and the game in a frame inside of that.

Kevin O'Connor was on Talkin' Sports last night speaking with David James about Gordon Hayward (hopes he becomes a two [yes please!]), the quiet Derek Favors, and attracting free agents.  He spoke once again though about Deron Williams and why they traded him (thanks again to moni for this transcript),

 I think we have held onto franchise players with John and Karl for all the years that they were here.  I think with Deron, we just tried to make a decision based on the facts that we had in front of us.  One of the biggest facts that we had in front of us was that he signed a 3-year contract instead of a 4-year contract. 

That was something that we just didn't want to take the risk of coming up empty-handed.  And remember now, he had a little bit with the wrist which obviously turned out to be something, and we're facing an uncertainty of a collective bargaining for a year.    

I'm not sure how you can mention Malone in one breath and then talk about trading Deron because you didn't want to come up empty-handed if he left.  Out of both of those players, only one of them has stated publicly that he's played his last game as a member of the Jazz.  The Jazz, and primarily Larry H. Miller, worked hard to keep Malone in Utah.  I'm guessing they never got close to trading him though based on any of his public or private comments.

We have yet to see how the next CBA plays out, but it very well could have helped the Jazz financially keep Deron and provide even more incentive for him to stay financially.  Now there are reports that Deron could sign an extension with New Jersey in July (when he's eligible) provided the lockout isn't still going on.  if that's the case, he would be signing with them before they brought in any big-name players.

I would like to think that a trade like this would be based on solid evidence that he was definitely leaving rather than the fact that he hadn't re-signed yet.  I still feel like we're not getting the full story with The Trade and that we never will.

  diggitbrother puts together the top 4 performances for the season.  Given #1 on the DB, the LA game in LA should make it a top 5.

  For you draft junkies, a combine was held over the weekend in New Jersey where all of the no-namers got their shot to impress scouts and GMs.  O'Connor was in attendance.  Here's a breakdown from The Hoops Report on who impressed and who did not.

And when I say draft junkie, I'm talking about needle marks on the arms-type level.

  I think we need to have @LostTacoVendor do a full recognizance mission on this party with Utah Jazz "superstar" Devin Harris taking place in Dallas.  Remember, this is Serious Business.

thanks to Diana Allen for the tip