Sunday, July 11, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
The Miami Three (And Further Thoughts on LeBronapalooza 2010)
Well, that was wrapped up quickly... With LeBron James' announcement that he will be joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat next season, all of the major free agents bar David Lee (who looks to be going to the Warriors) have found their homes. So it looks like we can work out who are the winners and losers from this circus.
The big loser obviously has to be Cleveland who, without the best player in franchise history, will be lucky to scrape into the playoffs next year. I feel really sad for Cavs fans - this one is going to hurt for years. The only solace for them is that at least LeBron is not going to the Bulls.
The big winner is obviously Miami who have gone from borderline playoff team to championship contender. How good they will be depends on who they can surround their big three with, but put them down for at least 55 wins over the next few years (barring injuries). Their marketing department will also be huge winners, as LeBron #6 jerseys fly off the rack.
Toronto, Phoenix and Utah are clearly losers, having lost the big men (Bosh, Amar'e Stoudemire and Carlos Boozer) who have been crucial to their success. Phoenix and Utah should still be competitive; Toronto though will be a basketcase.
For Chicago and New York, it is harder to evaluate. Chicago should definitely be a better team with Boozer on board, but Bulls' fans may feel a little deflated given the higher hopes they had only days before. However, given their depth, they are a good chance to be up there with the Eastern Conference's best. I don't think that's true for New York, who have gone through years of pain only to come up with Stoudemire - a great player to be sure, but not up there with LeBron, and possibly no better than David Lee. Optimistic Knicks fans (are they still around?) will counter that they are not done yet, as they still have enough salary cap space to add another star to their roster.
And my beloved Detroit are still losers.
Now all the interest lies in watching these guys come out in their new uniforms next season. Already the speculation about Kobe & Gasol v LeBron, Wade & Bosh in the Finals should be underway. At least there'll be plenty of sun...
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Amar’e’s Going To New York (And Other NBA Free Agency Thoughts)
This year’s NBA free agency class has pretty much overshadowed the season itself – which is not that surprising when you consider that the next five to eight years’ worth of championships may be up for grabs depending on where two-time regular season MVP LeBron James (Cleveland), 2006 Finals MVP Dwyane Wade (Miami), and all-stars Chris Bosh (Toronto), Joe Johnson (Atlanta), Amar’e Stoudemire (Phoenix), Carlos Boozer (Utah) and David Lee (New York) decide to call home. Today the news was that Stoudemire, one of the few star big men in the NBA, will sign a 5-year, $100 million deal with the very much star-starved New York Knicks. While Stoudemire was quick to claim that ‘the Knicks were back’, the worth of this deal will only be able to assessed weeks down the track, when all of this chaos should (hopefully) be over. If Stoudemire’s arrival can convince James or Wade to jump ship, then the deal will go down as a landmark in NY hoops history. However, if not, it’s hard to see it as much more of an upgrade over current Knicks all-star David Lee, who will presumably sign elsewhere now that Amar’e has taken his starting spot. And given Amar’e’s history of injuries, the euphoria in Madison Square Garden may be short-lived.
Apart from Stoudemire, Joe Johnson has already committed to a team, returning to Atlanta for a deal that one ESPN columnist described as ‘the winner’s curse’. While Johnson is a handy player, Atlanta is now paying him like a superstar, which they may very well come to regret. This leaves James, Wade, Bosh, Boozer and Lee as the only major free agents yet to sign. Not long ago, Wade looked a certainty to return to Miami, the only major question being whether he could convince James and/or Bosh to join him. But reports have surfaced that Wade is taking a keen interest in his hometown of Chicago, which is a surprise to those who thought that the Bulls were focusing their efforts on the duo of James and Bosh. Bosh, meanwhile, seems to be the key player in all this, as it is believed that both James and Wade would like to play with one of the NBA’s few other star big men (and one who is younger and reportedly more congenial that Stoudemire). I think it’s a fair bet that Bosh will end up with one or both of the two. As for James, who knows? My heart hopes he stays in Cleveland, but if I were LBJ the prospect of teaming up with Bosh, and young stars Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah (who took the Bulls to the playoffs last season) in Chicago would be very hard to resist.
So, with all that said, here are my predictions: Wade and Boozer to Miami, James and Bosh to Chicago (as much as it pains me to think of it) and Lee to sign with Utah or New Jersey. But all it takes is one player to make an unexpected move for the whole landscape to change. Meanwhile, I’m still crying over the fact my beloved Detroit Pistons spent all of their cap space last season on Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva…
Monday, July 5, 2010
Welcome (Back) To The Galaxy!
The original ‘Super Mario Galaxy’ for Nintendo Wii was, without a doubt, the greatest video game I have ever played. When I first played SMG it had been many a year since I had been a committed video game player; in fact not since the dying days of the now-many times superseded Nintendo Entertainment System had I followed the new video game releases with any regularity. Hence, I had missed ‘Super Paper Mario’, ‘Super Mario Sunshine’, ‘Super Mario 64’ – even ‘Super Mario World’! – in the time between then and when I first popped SMG into our Wii. Needless to say, I found SMG completely addictive, to the constant bemusement of my wife, until she started playing it and found it even more addictive. Compared to the 2D graphics and ‘run, jump, bop’ of early Mario games, SMG was a revelation in terms of its range of gameplay options and beautiful 3D worlds.
All of which made SMG2 the most eagerly-awaited item in the Wheatley household since the release of the ‘Mad Men: Season 3’ DVD box set. So what’s the verdict? I had heard varying reports about how much different it was from the first game; having played through about 30 galaxies to date, I would say it is not a dramatic departure. The best analogy I have been able to think of is those movie sequels that work well because all of the foundation has been laid out in the first instalment, leaving the second instalment to just kick things off from there. Similarly, although SMG2 does run through for newbies the basic moves from the first game, experienced players can get right into the new stuff, of which there is a lot. Yoshi’s return is the most obvious example, although he actually isn’t as prominent as the advance press would have you believe, with Mario still having to tough out most levels by himself. (The level in which Yoshi swallows a hot chilli pepper and then uses the fire coming out of his butt to sprint up steep walls is a highlight to date.) There are plenty of new bosses, and while defeating most of them involves figuring out that boss’ one weak spot and raising holy hell on it, there are quite a lot of variations on how that is achieved. And there are several new transformations (Cloud Mario, Rock Mario), and heaps of new ideas for galaxies that will keep you entertained for months on end.
So better? Yeah, I’d say so. The best quote I have read about it (from Edge Magazine) is that ‘this isn’t a game that redefines the genre: this is one that rolls it up and locks it away’. Well, let’s hope that isn’t strictly true: while I struggle to see where they can go next, one could easily have said the same after the first game. There has got to be at least a few more places where they can they hide those friggin’ power stars yet…
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The "John Doe" Posts No.6 - Wrath: Why I Am The Only Person Who Should Travel on Melbourne's Tram System
Feb 9, 2010
1) When you quickly ‘nip out’ in front of a great big moving tram that is five metres away from flattening you, you do not look inconspicuous, you do in fact look like a frightened bird about to get smashed by a bulldozer.
2) To all the people crowded (in this context, six or more is a crowd) around the door when the rest of the standing room is empty – the people in the seats don’t bite.
3) To the loud-mouthed man trying to squeeze on to the step of a crowded tram, shouting ‘Could people please move down the tram?’ – you may be in the right (see point 2), but you are still an arrogant tool.
4) It may be petty, but there is a small sense of satisfaction to be had when the person behind sharply says ‘Excuse me’, only to realise a second later their command was completely superfluous because you (and twenty others) are getting out at the same stop as them.
5) If there are only five people on a tram, why is there a need for a stranger to sit next to me? Are they lonely? Do they need comfort?
6) Perhaps I have my headphones in so I don’t have to listen to you – did you ever think of that?!
7) Why do so few people know the Golden Rule of tram-catching? If you have a) been waiting five minutes or more for a tram and b) two come at once and c) they are both going past your destination and d) it is a time of day when people tend to catch the tram, then you should always, always catch the second one. The first one is likely to have people sitting on each other’s shoulders, while you’ll be able to swing a set of shopping bags around the second one. (On second thought: maybe this should be kept a secret…)
1) When you quickly ‘nip out’ in front of a great big moving tram that is five metres away from flattening you, you do not look inconspicuous, you do in fact look like a frightened bird about to get smashed by a bulldozer.
2) To all the people crowded (in this context, six or more is a crowd) around the door when the rest of the standing room is empty – the people in the seats don’t bite.
3) To the loud-mouthed man trying to squeeze on to the step of a crowded tram, shouting ‘Could people please move down the tram?’ – you may be in the right (see point 2), but you are still an arrogant tool.
4) It may be petty, but there is a small sense of satisfaction to be had when the person behind sharply says ‘Excuse me’, only to realise a second later their command was completely superfluous because you (and twenty others) are getting out at the same stop as them.
5) If there are only five people on a tram, why is there a need for a stranger to sit next to me? Are they lonely? Do they need comfort?
6) Perhaps I have my headphones in so I don’t have to listen to you – did you ever think of that?!
7) Why do so few people know the Golden Rule of tram-catching? If you have a) been waiting five minutes or more for a tram and b) two come at once and c) they are both going past your destination and d) it is a time of day when people tend to catch the tram, then you should always, always catch the second one. The first one is likely to have people sitting on each other’s shoulders, while you’ll be able to swing a set of shopping bags around the second one. (On second thought: maybe this should be kept a secret…)
Monday, May 10, 2010
The "John Doe" Posts No. 5 - Gluttony: The Melbournian Beer Hierarchy
Feb 3, 2010
Group One: Beers that can not be surpassed
1. Obscure beer drunk in small bar overseas that no-one can ever prove/disprove what it tastes like
Group Two: Credibility gainers and conversation starters
2. Beers from Victorian microbreweries (preferably close to your home, so that you can claim local knowledge) – e.g. Mountain Goat, Grand Ridge, 3 Ravens
3. Imported beers that nobody else at your table has seen before tonight
4. Beers from interstate microbreweries (preferably regional), and lesser known Matilda Bay beers – e.g. Bohemian, Dogbolter
Group Three: Generally acceptable choices
5. Little Creatures (too well-known to be considered a microbrewery)
6. Imported beers that are major exports but which you wouldn’t see advertised here – e.g. Quilmes, Erdinger
7. More commonly known Matilda Bay beers – e.g. Redback, Fat Yak
8. More commonly known imported beers – e.g. Corona, Asahi, Hoegaarden
9. Coopers (yes, despite it being from South Australia)
10. Crown Lager
11. Cascade/James Boag’s
Group Four: Acceptable if only beer available or only beer available on tap
12. Heineken, Becks
13. Carlton Draught
Group Five: Drink at the peril of your beer-swilling credibility
14. Victoria Bitter
15. Melbourne Bitter
16. Foster’s
17. Toohey’s New, XXXX, West End, Emu.
Group One: Beers that can not be surpassed
1. Obscure beer drunk in small bar overseas that no-one can ever prove/disprove what it tastes like
Group Two: Credibility gainers and conversation starters
2. Beers from Victorian microbreweries (preferably close to your home, so that you can claim local knowledge) – e.g. Mountain Goat, Grand Ridge, 3 Ravens
3. Imported beers that nobody else at your table has seen before tonight
4. Beers from interstate microbreweries (preferably regional), and lesser known Matilda Bay beers – e.g. Bohemian, Dogbolter
Group Three: Generally acceptable choices
5. Little Creatures (too well-known to be considered a microbrewery)
6. Imported beers that are major exports but which you wouldn’t see advertised here – e.g. Quilmes, Erdinger
7. More commonly known Matilda Bay beers – e.g. Redback, Fat Yak
8. More commonly known imported beers – e.g. Corona, Asahi, Hoegaarden
9. Coopers (yes, despite it being from South Australia)
10. Crown Lager
11. Cascade/James Boag’s
Group Four: Acceptable if only beer available or only beer available on tap
12. Heineken, Becks
13. Carlton Draught
Group Five: Drink at the peril of your beer-swilling credibility
14. Victoria Bitter
15. Melbourne Bitter
16. Foster’s
17. Toohey’s New, XXXX, West End, Emu.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Another Secret To Winning Your Football Tipping Competition
In a previous post I argued that, since it is not difficult to be a 'rational, informed football tipster', one's success in a football tipping competition (at least if you are of the rational, informed football tipping variety) is mostly due to luck.
However, when I was telling someone else this theory, they added a wrinkle that I found interesting. This person said that your chances of winning may be improved by not being too rational or informed. Their argument was (or at least how I have subsequently interpreted it) that a person who thinks about it too much would tend to pick closer to the consensus, whereas actually winning the competition involves a degree of risk-taking, either through a small lack of knowledge or some other reason.
I suppose that a degree of risk-taking is needed to actually win was implicit in my argument (otherwise how do you differentiate yourself from everybody else), but I had not thought about it in exactly this way. Anyway, if it seems that the winner of your tipping competition is often a person with an OK, but slightly tenuous, knowledge of football, this may well be the reason.
However, when I was telling someone else this theory, they added a wrinkle that I found interesting. This person said that your chances of winning may be improved by not being too rational or informed. Their argument was (or at least how I have subsequently interpreted it) that a person who thinks about it too much would tend to pick closer to the consensus, whereas actually winning the competition involves a degree of risk-taking, either through a small lack of knowledge or some other reason.
I suppose that a degree of risk-taking is needed to actually win was implicit in my argument (otherwise how do you differentiate yourself from everybody else), but I had not thought about it in exactly this way. Anyway, if it seems that the winner of your tipping competition is often a person with an OK, but slightly tenuous, knowledge of football, this may well be the reason.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
The "John Doe" Posts No. 4 - Sloth: The Philosophers’ Guide to Ways in Which To Prioritize Your Life
Jan 31, 2010
The Epicurean Way: Do those things which bring you most pleasure.
The Stoic Way: Do those things which need to be done and suck it up.
The Cartesian Way: Do those things which can not be thought or imagined away.
The Machiavellian Way: Do over others before they do over you.
The Positivist Way: Let Task 1 = x, and Task 2 = y, if x then y.
The Nietzschean Way: Do whatever the hell you want to.
The Augustinian Way: Do whatever the hell you want to, but God is right to punish you for it.
The Hobbesian Way: Do whatever the hell you want to, but your leader is right to punish you for it.
The Existentialist Way: Do whatever the hell you want to, but it doesn’t mean anything.
The Zen Way: Do and not do - it’s not about the doing at all.
The Taoist Way: The Way is neither doing or not doing.
The Heideggerian Way: Who is doing what now?
The Postmodernist Way: Doing is so last millennium.
The Skeptics’ Way: Find a reason not to do anything.
The Epicurean Way: Do those things which bring you most pleasure.
The Stoic Way: Do those things which need to be done and suck it up.
The Cartesian Way: Do those things which can not be thought or imagined away.
The Machiavellian Way: Do over others before they do over you.
The Positivist Way: Let Task 1 = x, and Task 2 = y, if x then y.
The Nietzschean Way: Do whatever the hell you want to.
The Augustinian Way: Do whatever the hell you want to, but God is right to punish you for it.
The Hobbesian Way: Do whatever the hell you want to, but your leader is right to punish you for it.
The Existentialist Way: Do whatever the hell you want to, but it doesn’t mean anything.
The Zen Way: Do and not do - it’s not about the doing at all.
The Taoist Way: The Way is neither doing or not doing.
The Heideggerian Way: Who is doing what now?
The Postmodernist Way: Doing is so last millennium.
The Skeptics’ Way: Find a reason not to do anything.
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