Real Deal

Wow...this is in the area, and it is still snowing hard. http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs069.snc6/167937_180872125284267_100000844428546_391248_2404153_n.jpg http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs892.ash1/180065_180872238617589_100000844428546_391250_3577021_n.jpg http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs026.snc6/165672_180872395284240_100000844428546_391253_3546041_n.jpg http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs790.ash1/168021_148984371824897_100001400067214_298461_105530_n.jpg Winds were up to 40 MPH, wind chill was -15 at one point (not sure what it's at right now, but it's damn cold).

No Drew tonight, due to a bone bruise (knee). And no Gasol, due to a lack of heart.

Let's make sure we all know the rules... 1) This should not happen via PM. Even if you're asking the person first...it doesn't matter. Keep it out of the PM system, and off the forums. 2) While I can't prove a spammer took AIM addresses off of our site, I can suspect it, and that gives me a reason to act on the spamming. SO...because spamming is defined as an unwanted message to promote a product (whether it's a link, or some other method), you first have to ask the person if they want the link. If they say yes, you're good to give it to them. 3) Links are allowed in signatures, as long as they aren't clickable images (ex. signatures that can be clicked) and if the link isn't formatted with a larger font than the default size. I'm not insecure about having other sites posted on OTR. If you put the link in your signature, you have to post to make it visible...and if you aren't post-padding, you're contributing in some way or another. After six years, I'm not worried about members leaving OTR. If they leave, so be it...we take the cards we're dealt and move on. But, spamming and promoting are two different things. Promoting is allowed, spamming isn't. The three things I noted above will tell you the difference between the two.

Tell me it's true. This video is so close to that Starrcade 97 promo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEWzkeVUnfM http://boards.420chan.org/wooo/src/1296529134095.jpg Sick poster, huh? Looks like it wasn't fan-made. I'll watch wrestling again, just to see him fight.

In other words, you know what I meant, but you want to take pieces out of it because, once again, nobody agrees with you. Let me quote the most important piece of what you said... WRONG. This is you, ripping pieces of my quote apart, taking out what you want to talk about and leaving out the parts you can't reply to and that hurt your argument. Again, don't quote me if you're going to intentionally misread what I post. Crystal clear: if an athlete is doing nothing, and has no reason to decline the autograph, he/she should sign it because fans make it possible for them to be who they are and make the money written on their checks. Did the player just lose the NBA Finals, and is sweating and pissed? Good excuse. Is he out on the beach throwing a football around with other fans, not doing anything else (like Ron Artest does all the time)? Sign it. I shouldn't have to clarify. Everyone else read it correctly.

Weird...I don't remember reading a post that said otherwise.

First off, there are hard-working people that Eddie House couldn't hold a candle to. Just because we aren't in the NBA doesn't mean House is above anyone else. He's a scrub NBA player. And I'm going to let you prove that scrubs do exist in professional sports. And even in college sports... And the referees that make more money than most of us... Eddie House is a scrub.

The car is iced over, and it hasn't started snowing yet, and it was BARELY sleeting...for maybe five minutes. The news keeps talking about this historic snowstorm. It's going to suck.

To be honest, this would've been the greatest win in Cavaliers history. After losing 20 consecutive games, you go and beat LeBron's Heat on a second night of a back-to-back? But it was never meant to be, not without Anderson Varejao. Maybe Kemp's Cavaliers could've pulled it off, I don't know...

Back when wearing jerseys was awesome...I think I was a freshman or sophomore here. http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs637.snc3/31939_392166181652_502396652_4582474_5040723_n.jpg Got that sweater vest on. http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs637.snc3/31939_392166126652_502396652_4582465_6442319_n.jpg I was 14 years old here...first time anyone saw the infamous Nike beanie. http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs637.snc3/31939_392166171652_502396652_4582472_5939839_n.jpg Old family pic. http://i55.tinypic.com/30hu4v8.jpg

On the block: Artest, Barnes, Blake, Caracter, Ebanks, Walton, Brown. Result: the same team until the end of the season.

LMAO, did you not read my post? Let me show you once again... How am I being a hypocrite? House isn't even as valuable as Kobe's left shoe. If LeBron did the dance after dropping 60 on Cleveland, you'd have room to call me a hypocrite if I were to criticize him. And, even then, I still called it a stupid fine...but okay. The next time you decide to quote me and reply, read what you're quoting. There's nothing more annoying than people that read two words of a post and make the choice to quote, and comment on, the entire thing.

According to you, he never has...but, we're already past that. Already stated over and over again why. No fans, no paycheck. If any athlete looks some 12 or 13-year old kid in the eyes and declines an autograph, then yes, they are worthless. Obviously, they won't sign one if they are late catching a plane, or getting ready to enter the game...but I don't need to give you the examples of when they should, because it's pretty obvious. ------- ALL THIS WAS, for Garnett, was his way of staying "true" to his hatred for LA, as if he played back in the 80s. He put the series record on his shoes, always has something to say as if he walked the same road as Bird and Magic, and this is just another way to make a statement and make the news. He's a punk, and I hope that ballboy looks at Garnett the same way a lot of people are nowadays, which is fantastic.

Stupid fine, and stupid act by a half-ass role player that only contributed that wide-open three-pointer throughout the entire game.

I didn't disregard anything. My last two sentences took care of the rest of what you said. Most kids that ask for an autograph keep it, and they do it because they look up to that person or support them in some way. Maybe it's just a Miami thing, if it's all about selling signatures on eBay. My brother, myself, my cousin, and a ton of people I know don't run off and try to make money off stuff like that, but oh well. Why did they do that? You don't think athletes should sign for anyone, so why are you (or anyone for you) trying to get the signature? Crazy. He signed something for me, which made you wrong. That's all that needs to be said. But, just in case... http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs272.snc1/9933_1244312941278_1033012523_30775013_54978_n.jpg http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h257/guicone/coby3.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Lakers_players_signing_autographs.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3069/2635407665_230b25f436.jpg http://i56.tinypic.com/m818nm.jpg http://i51.tinypic.com/23uzli0.jpg In an autograph session, before the game, after the game, on the street, in camp, during a photoshoot...sure looks like it doesn't matter where he's at. Kobe signs. Maybe he knew you would be supporting the Heat soon enough.

Not a big deal. It would be different if Durant said it to a superstar or an all-star.

I'm laughing hysterically at this right now because I know for a [expletive]ing fact I met Kobe in 2003, in Oakland, after the Warriors/Lakers game, and he shook my hand, talked with me for about three minutes, and signed a picture I had of him and Shaq. Thank God you aren't a professional athlete. You sure the hell wouldn't get my support, and you'd have hate spewed all over the place for the way you would treat fans.

1) NBA Playoffs & Finals Obvious choice for me. 2) NCAA Basketball March Madness & National Championship Another obvious choice. 3) Olympics basketball and World Championships Can't have the first two? This is third. 4) NBA All-Star Weekend Another basketball event. 5) NFL Playoffs & Super Bowl Football fan second, so anything basketball comes before this. If the Raiders aren't in the Super Bowl, I would rather watch a regular season game between the Lakers and Celtics. 6) MLB World Series (once a team has won three games) And if there's no basketball on.

No, I never said that. You're the one that stated that you'd never, ever sign autographs. That would be ignorant. That would be a slap in the face to those that buy your jerseys, buy tickets to come see you, and make it possible for your team to pay you the big bucks. Without fans, you'd be nothing. Your signatures wouldn't make up for that, anyway. If Dwyane Wade walked up and signed an 8x10 photo for a 12-year old kid, and his dad put it on eBay, it wouldn't sell for as much as the authentic Wade jersey they spent $80 on. Athletes that disrespect their fans are worthless, I don't care how talented they are.

ESPN with the screw-up, again. Kobe has played less seasons than Nash and Allen, even though they were all drafted in 1996?

I'm taking Steve Nash. Jason Kidd is someone I would consider, but if we're penalizing Kobe for his shot selection, I'm doing the same to him. Kidd's defensive IQ puts him ahead of the curve, of course, but Nash makes the attempt to play smart defense...he just doesn't have the physical tools to be a good defender (not strong, doesn't have the lateral quickness, etc). I haven't seen a guy control an offense as much as Steve Nash. I know that may sound ridiculous to some people because they first think of Magic and Stockton, but Nash works his offense like a video game, and all he asks his players to do is spot up or to screen in his pick and roll. It hasn't led to championships for Steve, but that's also because those Suns were never a stellar defensive team. Kidd is on his heels in this debate, but Nash really knows his basketball. Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant...those two get mentioned as well. And I can't pick someone like Bonner or Scalabrine because they just run through the motions. They aren't the conductor.

In that case, John Paxson shattered Charles Barkley's chances of ever winning a ring, and broke the hearts of Phoenix fans forever, only their second (and final) appearance in the Finals, with a three to win the game AND an NBA championship. Where is he on your list?

Phil Jackson just verbally slapped the rest of the team in the presser. Someone brought up Kobe shooting a lot in the 4th, and Phil stated he thought Kobe took 12 consecutive shots for the Lakers, then he was like, "Well, it looked to me like nobody else wanted the ball" (something along those lines). Wake up, Gasol. Play big.

Perfectly said.