Am I strong enough to be The One?
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Friday, November 27, 2009
Today's news is that Jason Kidd moved into second place on the all time assists list with 10,335 career assists.
What is astonishing is that John Stockton, the all time assist leader, had 15,806 assists. Yes, that's right, 50% more than the second place hold.
I knew Stockton held the record, I just didn't know it was that far above everyone else. 50% more than the next closest person! That is just phenomenal. Yeah, I hated those Utah Jazz teams, but that's incredible.
Friday, November 20, 2009
So, down to the final four. I should mention that I’ve had an inkling of who my new team was going to be fore a while (I mentioned it to Jarratt at Jenni’s birthday party back in October that I thought this team was likely to win it). I also knew as soon as we were down to the final four who won – I just haven’t got around to telling people my pick yet.
First off, let me answer some issues raised in the comments to the previous post.
Brad (Hi Brad!) raised the point that “your criteria to date doesn't provide any insurance against you doing it all again in three years time, leaving you perilously exposed to the 'gloryhunter' tag”. I guess that the record over the past three years was meant to give some indication of which teams were well run vs which weren’t. I’m not after a perpetual winner, I’m after a team that’s going to be competitive each week, that I will feel passionate about following (as compared to the Redskins, who over the past years have made me feel decidedly Ho Hum about following football).
Brad also mentions “I'd suggest choosing a team that is based in a city that has character, history, and would be worth visiting”. Which brings me nicely into our final four placings.
( In 4th place )
( 3rd place )
( 2nd place )
( My new team )
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Isn't it strange how tastes can change?
Back in the 90's I absolutely couldn't stand Strawpeople's "Trick with a Knife". Every time I heard it in the charts I thought it was horribly overrated. Now it's my favourite song on their Best of album (and no, that's not a backhanded compliment, it's a real compliment).
I remember back in the day I never liked olives either. Now I love them.
Just an observation.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Okay, so ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) jarratt_gray pointed out that he thought my criteria meant I knew over 2 players, where as I was sort of saying I knew two or more players.
As Jarratt pointed out, a lot of my enjoyment of a team is the QB. Don't get me wrong, I like a good running game, but I like a team that can air it out too.
So, the next cut - goodbye teams who I don't know the QB. That means you Chicago and Jacksonville. Chicago was never really in contention - too defensively focused.
I'll get rid of the other two teams I only knew 2 players on as well - bye Tennessee and Carolina.
Next, get rid of any teams that I just have a real adversion to. Bye Pittsburgh - you're the team I love to hate (unlike the Non-Washington NFC East teams, who are the teams I just really dislike in a not love at all way). I'm going to eliminate Denver too, just because of Jarratt - not that I don't like Denver, just Jarratt and I can't be cheering for the same team, it would be like crossing the streams in Ghostbusters, end of the Universe type thing.
So, the final 4:
New Orleans Saints
New England Patriots
Indianapolis Colts
San Diego Chargers
Another key element of my connection to a team is the players. I like to recognise names, be able to tell you something about a player (even if it’s as simple as what position he plays).
Sure, you can get to know players, but I really want a team where I already recognise some of the players, have a connection there already. So my next elimination criteria is this: do I know at least two players on the team?
What qualifies as knowing a player on the team? It’s fairly subjective. In some cases it’s knowing of the player but perhaps not realising he’s on that team (e.g. Kerry Collins – I didn’t realise he was with the Titans. Man, he’s bounced around a bit in his career, I remember when he was with the Carolina Panthers, and I think he’s had a couple of stops since then). And it’s not always knowing them from what they’ve done on the field in the pro’s. I mean, I remember Reggie Bush and Vince Young from their showdown in the Rose Bowl (and for being drafted 2nd and 3rd the next year).
I like this criteria, because I think it also taps in to those teams I have subconsciously been following over the years. Or at least the teams I have caught several games from – I’m looking at you Pittsburgh Steelers.
So, goodbye to the Minnesota Vikings (I can only name Brett Favre), Green Bay Packers (can’t name anyone!), and Baltimore Ravens (only Ray Lewis).
Down to the final 10:
Chicago Bears
New Orleans Saints
Carolina Panthers
New England Patriots
Pittsburgh Steelers
Indianapolis Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars
Tennessee Titans
Denver Broncos
San Diego Chargers
Friday, November 6, 2009
So, I decided that I’d put a bit of a methodology behind my selection of the new NFL team I’m going to support. To recap – the teams I supported in my youth (Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, Washington Redskins in that chronological order) I have limited attachment to, either due to players moving on or the teams just having stunk for so long.
With 32 teams to choose from, I sort of need to eliminate some off the bat, otherwise this will be a very long process.
I think we can get rid of the NFC East straight away – although my attachment to the Redskins has faded due to constant sucking, I could never bring myself to cheer for the Giants, Eagles or Cowboys.
The other thing I really want is a team that has a track record of being competitive – one that seems like it’s well run. With that in mind, I decided to get rid of any team that hasn’t had a positive win/loss record on aggregate over the last 3 seasons. That means they need to have racked up 24 wins in total from 2006. With that evaluation, it’s farewell to the Washington Redskins (22), Detroit Lions (10), Atlanta Falcons (22), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (22), Arizona Cardinals (22), San Francisco 49ers (19), Seattle Seahawks (23), St Louis Rams (13), New York Jets (23), Miami Dolphins (18), Buffalo Bills (21), Cincinnati Bengals (19), Cleveland Browns (18), Houston Texans (22), Oakland Raiders (11) and Kansas City Chiefs (15).
A shame to see Arizona go, they pretty much qualified as the 4th team I ever followed but just never had that same resonance with me. Also interesting that Washington nearly still made that 24 win threshold (5, 9 and 8 wins over the last three seasons) - they're sometimes a middle of the table team, but never really achieve excellence.
13 teams still in contention to be my new team to follow! Further updates to come...
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
So, there was a fire drill at work today, and I took the opportunity to slip off to JB Hi-Fi and pick up a few choice items.
DVDs: How I Met Your Mother season 3. Legen... wait for it... wait for it... wait for it because you might be allergic to it... dary.
CDs: All from the bargain bin (paid less than $60 for all 6) - Cypress Hill's Black Sunday; Van Halen's 1984; The Best of PM Dawn; Prince's Ultimate collection; Placebo's Once More With Feeling; Best of the Strawpeople 1990-2000. Just generally filling holes in my CD collection...
Current music: Cypress Hill - Insane in the Brain
Monday, October 12, 2009
I'm sort of paying more attention to the NFL this season (at least until the NBA season starts).
The problem is I really don't have a team I cheer for.
Back in the day (by which I mean in the mid to late 90's) I followed the NFL a bit more closely. The teams I sort of followed were:
* The Oakland Raiders (I think they were the LA Raiders at the time). I had a Raiders hat - I don't remember the Raiders ever being that good, I just liked the colours (Black and Silver - coincidentally the colour scheme of my apartment I've just realised).
* The Washington Redskins. I had a Redskins hat - Brad Rose had been a Redskins fan and I picked it up from him. This was shortly after their '92 superbowl win. I remember playing Mike Ditka's Ultimate Football on the computer, with Mark Rypien at QB, Art Monk at WR, Earnest Byner at RB.
* The Miami Dolphins. Dan Marino was awesome and I loved watching him play, even if those Miami teams were pretty flawed in terms of a) not being able to run the ball, and b) not being able to play defence. Still I loved to see Dan air it out. He had a gun of an arm.
Now, though, there's not really any attachment to those teams. I mean, the Raiders are continually pitiful, Art Shell has made that team a running joke for years. The Redskins, well, I don't know if they've been good for years, and without those old players that I knew, or without someone else to be a 'Redskins buddy', there's no pull there. The Dolphins, again, without Marino there's just no connection to the team.
So I'm going to find myself a new team to support. A team whose style of play I like, a team whose city I can form an attachment with.
I just hope it doesn't end up being the Dallas Cowboys.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
"On these magic shores children at play are for ever beaching their coracles. We too have been there; we can still hear the sound of the surf, though we shall land no more." - JM Barrie.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Tonight is Hell in a Cell.
TBH, I only really want to watch it for the Morrison / Ziggler fight. I don't know if they'll ever top the Mankind / Undertaker match, and given the current PG rating of WWE, I doubt they'll try.
I think I'm in love with the memory of wrestling, not wrestling itself. Loved the promo from The Rock on Smackdown last night. Well, it was okay. I think I was just jazzed to see The Rock.
I'm quite surprised that for a 10 year anniversary show there were no McMahons, and no Stone Cold Steve Austin. I would have thought the beer guzzling Stone Cold was the perfect foil to straight edged CM Punk. And Stephanie McMahon has a long history with Smackdown. Odd.
Drew McIntyre keeps getting promo time, but I think I've only seen him fight once. They sure are building him up without us actually seeing the goods. When are he and R-Truth going to hit the ring?
And speaking of R-Truth, can't they make better use of him? We don't seem to have seen him in a match in a while.
And speaking of promos, I really liked what I saw of the Christian / Tommy Dreamer / Yoshitatsu / Golddust promo. Christian cuts good promos. He's one of the few reasons I tune in to ECW. Him and Zack Ryder.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Hey all,
The Pixies are playing in Auckland on March 12th next year. Tickets are about $90. We're looking at getting a group together and heading up (no details on transport or accommodation yet). Anyone keen?
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Apparently there is a Star Wars themed night at Electric Avenue this evening, an "Echo Base Snow Party". 2 for 1 bubbly and 2 for one Macs Gold & Speights from 8-9pm, 2 for 1 cocktails from 10-midnight. And a free Jagermeister shot on entry from 8pm to 10pm. And a chance to win a snowboard.
If I wasn't so exhausted and have so much other stuff I need to do tonight I'd be tempted...
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
"There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love. There is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen."
– Wayne Dyer
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Sign on to support New Zealand taking a strong stance on climate change.
Monday, August 10, 2009
John Hughes, the writer (and director) of such memorable classics as The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Ferris Buellers Day Off, Pretty in Pink and Weird Science (and such non-classics as Home Alone and Beethoven and their various sequels) died last week. His work was very hit and miss with me, but when it hit, it hit. He was the mastermind behind so many iconic 80's movies.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Don't you hate it when websites don't have spoilers? Fricking stupid EW.com.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Does anyone else think that the internet is sucking our will to live?
I mean, at the moment, I come to work and spend a lot of time just surfing the net. I am less interested in what is happening around me than I am at reading the latest NBA news, finding out from IMDB which celebrities have their birthday today, what the latest news is on stuff.
The internet is like the ultimate in user chooses viewing. What do you want to look at or read about? You can do that. Why do something yourself when you can read about or watch other people doing it? Are we becoming watchers rather than doers?
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