Best wishes …
… to each of you who take the time to visit this blog and view/read what’s presented in this corner of the ethernet.
Have yourselves a joyful Christmas Eve … hopefully, in the midst of friends, family and loved ones … and, a terrific Christmas Day, as well, whether this includes something to do with the wonderful world of athletics, or not.
Life truly is a very special gift which we’ve each been granted.
Carpe Diem!
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Tags: Beulah Bondi, Donna Reed, Frank Capra, Frank Faylen, Gloria Grahame, Henry Travers, It's a Wonderful Life, James Stewart, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Ward Bond
December 27th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Merry Xmas again.
If you were GM of the Raps, would you trade Calderon & Banks & Wright for Arenas & McGee? Curious.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Best wishes for the holidays.
And keep up the great work.
December 29th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
happy holidays to you and yours!
January 1st, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Brain,
1. Sincere thanks for the well wishes!
2. If I’m in charge of the Raptors, I would not make that trade.
- I would have no qualms trading Wright and/or Banks
- if he’s used properly, however, Calderon is a highly serviceable PG
- although Arenas is a talented player, he is not someone who I would look to acquire for my team, and McGee is a career back-up player, IMO
January 1st, 2010 at 2:23 pm
brothersteve and Ragu,
Sincere thanks for the well wishes!
January 1st, 2010 at 10:46 pm
Thx - I’d be interested to see a breakdown on what you’d like to see from the PG spot on a team that you were constructing and how the Arenas type (and other shoot-first PGs) fit in…
January 2nd, 2010 at 1:50 pm
Brain,
It really does depend on what the specific strengths and weaknesses are for each of the individual players on a team’s roster.
In an ideal world, however … which is never the case … my personal preference, would look something like this:
STARTERS
#1. Point Guard
- 6-2+
- 200+
- pass first, with a high Ast:TO [i.e. outstanding decision-maker]
- capable perimeter shooter
- capable defender/rebounder
- high % free throw shooter
- sets solid screens
- outstanding leadership skills
- special “feel” for the game
#2. Off Guard
- 6-5+
- 215+
- high end, relative explosive quickness
- shoot first, with a positive Ast:TO [i.e. very good decision-maker]
- solid ball-handling skills [i.e. can function as a PG, if need be]
- moves well off the ball
- shoots well off screens
- defends and rebounds his position
- plays bigger than his size
- can create own shot off the bounce
- disciplined shot selection
#3. Small Forward
- 6-6+
- 220+
- high end, relative explosive quickness
- penetrate first, with a positive Ast:TO [i.e. good decision-maker]
- defends and rebounds his position
- plays bigger than his size
- runs the floor well in transition
- finishes well at the rim
#4. Power Forward
- 6-9+
- 230+
- good, relative explosive quickness
- rebound and defend first, with a positive Ast:TO [sound decision-maker]
- plays bigger than his size
- capable of switching down and up, relative to his in size
- good % mid-range jumper-shooter
- good role player
#5. Center
- Bill Russell like
KEY SUBS
#6. Back-up Combo Guard
#7. Back-up Combo Guard-Forward
#8. Back-up Combo Power Forward-Center
to form an 8-man rotation,
supported by 4 positional specialists, with individual characteristics that depend on the strengths and weaknesses of players #1-8, the head coach and the chosen systems of play, etc..
January 3rd, 2010 at 6:33 am
So where would an Arenas fit in that scheme if at all and why not if not. Is he too undersized to be your #2 and too much of a chucker to be either your #1 or #2?
January 3rd, 2010 at 9:11 pm
Yes, Arenas is too under-sized to be an ideal OG, especially, considering that he really isn’t a high end catch & shoot player when coming off an assortment of screens [e.g. as opposed to someone like Ray Allen, who is also slightly under-sized but extremely efficient at this specific skill].
Where he fits best is at the PG position, but … given his lack of defense … that would then NECESSITATE an increase in the defensive part of the equation for each of the other 4 positions on the court [plus the back-up PG position] to create the type of overall balance needed by a high end team.
January 3rd, 2010 at 10:35 pm
Thx. He’s not a catch and shoot guy.
More of a reneg and display the hardware… I’ll be here all week.
I’m a fan of Arenas and hope he gets his head right - when I originally suggested Arenas for Calderon & co. I didn’t know about his run-in with the law.
January 4th, 2010 at 8:31 am
Brain,
re: More of a reneg and display the hardware… I’ll be here all week.
Not sure what this remark means.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:42 am
Brain,
FYI, re: recent goings-on with Mr. Arenas