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You're probably shocked...but this is the new name of the site. OTRBasketball isn't exactly going away, but the name is. After talking with a few people, and seeing the actions of some others (and we won't discuss any of that), I've decided to flip the script and change the name of the site. With this, I'll also be changing the design (in due time), the direction (hopefully), and how I approach certain things that, again, I won't mention right now. Yes, I'm aware that there are still images/banners/text I need to change. Stay patient. I apologize for leaving out a lot of details here, but this needed to be done, as much as it pains me to actually make such a big change (I mean, OTR has been ours since 2005). We are still the same community, and that part is most important. Since the "8th Anniversary" topic was posted, I found out a lot of things about our current members. I took note of the reactions, the changes, etc...and it definitely helped me make this decision, and will assist me in decisions in the near future. It also enlightened me when it comes to who is around to contribute, and who has been waiting for that day we decide to shut and lock the door. So, everyone, please update your bookmarks ASAP. http://www.discusshoops.com/forums Also, join our new Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/discusshoops If you aren't following us on Twitter (the same page as before, just a new name):

Why are Heat fans front runners? Not many people outside of Miami like the Heat, in fact, people outside Miami despise the Heat. I never understood this theory of us having front runner fans. The attendance has been good for years. We didn't all of a sudden rise from the ashes and start supporting the team, its just that no one paid any attention to us until we got Lebron. If its because the arena isn't as loud as everyone elses? There is more to Heat fans than people in the arena, there are various places around Miami that hold watch parties, plenty of people at home watching the game with friends and so on. If any team has front runner fans its the Thunder, all of a sudden, everyone loves the Thunder. Also, its not very classy to dump beer on someone, especially after he played serious all game, was very respectful, and shit all over your team. If someone in Miami had dumped beer on Rondo after game 2, the world would end, but the beer toss got 0 coverage. The Boston security also did nothing about it, there are about 10 cops lined up in the walk way with their heads up like idiots, and they did nothing.

Miami is winning. It's a given.

He'd be great for the Knicks, but it's pretty unrealistic.

Don't take this the wrong way, but you're banned for not being good enough for our basketball discussion. Real talk, don't create a topic like this, then run to your primary message board, posting the link and laughing about it. Some of the guys you post with over there will end up telling me (like they did). They also told me you were quite the forum comedian, and that you're more of a joke account than a dedicated member and knowledgeable basketball poster. We're a little different. We like basketball knowledge, over anything else. Sorry.

Swish probably figured he'd come back and try to weasel a few more members out of here before it's too late to spam again.

Its been sweet here man. I know I wasn't here during the "prime" of OTR but the discussion here has always been really solid. It really sucks that some guys on here are such bitches, honestly had no idea they PMed you and Facebooked you asking guys to stop trolling them and shit, that is disgusting, honestly. From both sides, so wack. I'd just shut her down after the finals, as bad as it sounds. There's really no incentive for people to join/post if there is an expiry date on the board. But seriously its been awesome, RD is without a doubt the best site owner around that I know of, and some of the best basketball discussion happens on this board that I've seen (could be wrong, don't know of many other forums, kinda just spend all my internet time here... call me sheltered). Ya'll gotta let me know where dudes here post about ball cuz this is where some of the most legit sport discussion happens. I really hope I can see some of you around (Flash, RD, ECN, Phightphins, etc... all the good posters around here). But seriously, thanks again to RD he doesn't get enough credit for all the work he puts into this board. He does so much and asks for so little in return. I'm not one to slob a guy off on the internet, but seriously, thanks for the work you've put in over the years.

Chicago Bulls: End of an Era By:ChicagoStateofMind http://oi52.tinypic.com/r7iplx.jpg Remember the "Baby Bulls"? Remember the Bulls who couldn't win more then 20 games per season? Remember Coach Cartwright, Jamal "Chucker" Crawford, Eddy Curry with his unlimited potential but laziness dropped him to a mere scrub in the NBA? Remember Frazier, Ben Wallace, Larry "Chucker" Hughes and Mike Sweetney? Remember when Chicago signed washed up John Starks? Those were one of the worst days in Chicago Bulls History after the "Jordan Years". Jerry Krause was the GM back in the day when this occurred and he blew up the historic Chicago Dynasty, some say prematurely. Some say that the Chicago Bulls could have competed for a couple more years under Jordan and Scottie Pippen and the Worm with their key role players. But, it was too sad to be true, the Chicago Bulls Dynasty was over when Jordan retired a second time, Pippen was traded for Olden Polynice, and Luc Longley and Steve Kerr left in sign-and-trade deals, and Dennis Rodman and Jud Buechler signed elsewhere as free agents... The Bulls hit gold after the first season without Michael Jordan, drafting Elton Brand with the #1 pick in the 1999 draft. Elton averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds in his first season in the pros but he didn't have enough pieces around him to build a winner, when Ron Artest is your #2 option, it's going to be tough as witnessed by the Chicago Bulls hobbled to a 17-65 record that season... The summer of 2001, the biggest NBA free agency period witnessed, until 2010, a group that included Tim Duncan, Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady and Eddie Jones to name a few players. Tim Duncan resigned with San Antonio, Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady both teamed up in Orlando as a dynamic duo and Jones also opted not to sign with Chicago. Who did Chicago get that year? Brad Miller and Ron Mercer. Write that up as another failure for the Chicago Bulls rebuilding process under the tenure of Jerry Krause. The only other option the Chicago Bulls had was the draft and in the 2000 NBA Draft, selected Marcus Fizer and Jamal Crawford. The Young Bulls had no team cohesion and hobbled once again to a 15-67 record... The Chicago Bulls had a fresh start when Jerry Krause resigned the next offseason when the Chicago Bulls had drafted two high school phenoms in Tyson Chandler, who was traded for Elton Brand, and Eddy Curry was selected by the Chicago Bulls. It was not a very smart idea for Krause to put everything in the bag and it backfired against the Chicago Bulls in the future... After the resignation of Jerry Krause, John Paxson was named the GM of the Chicago Bulls and the Bulls had a fresh start. Some key names that John Paxson drafted were Jay Williams, Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, and Luol Deng. Jay Williams suffered a career ending injury when he had a motorcycle injury which was TRAGIC news for the Chicago Bulls because he had the makings of a superstar athlete. He had many great games for the Chicago Bulls and was on the especially when he posted a triple double. Kirk Hinrich, was the perfect player for Paxson, because he was white and went hard every play... Ben Gordon was the streaky shooter who could come up big in the clutch time and Luol Deng was the player who could do it all. The #2 high school prospect at the time behind LeBron James in the 2003 draft class. Scott Skiles, was the man responsible for changing the losing mentality, when he coached the Bulls to winning records and changed the player's mentalities to think that they could beat anyone if they played hard every game and played as a team. The infamous Jordan quote "Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships" would be the unofficial team motto for the Skiles era's teams... The team suffered after they defeated the Miami Heat in the '05 great run they had until they got knocked out mercilessly against the Detroit Pistons where Ben Wallace had altercations with the coaching staff and was quitting on the team when he was late for shoot around. The tides were turning, when the altercation that Ben Wallace created and the Chicago Bulls fell into a deep slump and the players accepted back to the losing mentality they had in the beginning of the decade after the "Jordan Years". Ben Wallace was the root of the problem and he manipulated the young Bulls players by saying things in the locker-room such as "you have the contract now, why play hard?". Many of the Bulls players accepted the "Ben Wallace Philosophy" and tuned out Scott Skiles and Skiles was fired on Christmas Day. Fast Forward, to present day, where the Future looks bright under the arms of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and Carlos Boozer. Harden your hearts from the days of losing and look at these amazing players we have currently on our team. They are all winners and they do not care about stats, they just want to win and they will do anything to get the win at the end of the day. Embrace it, love it, and CHERISH it because we are going to miss these days, just as we have missed the Jordan Days. ------------------- Comments & Criticism?