Nitro

They just refuse to give Boise State the respect they deserve. I'll be really pissed if they go undefeated after being ranked #3 in the preseason yet still don't find a way into the championship game.

52-14 with 5min to go in the 3rd quarter? WTF is going on...

Tell me why he deserves to be in the same breath as Kobe, LeBron, Wade, CP3, Dwight, Durant, Melo, Dirk, Williams and Nash. Those are the true superstars in the league IMO. All those guys are better in the stat department, most of them have taken their teams deep into the post-season as #1 options, and have proven more capability of truly playing dominant basketball. Prove to me he does have the capabilities. The stats and what I see with my own eyes says otherwise. He's around 26 years old, so don't expect much more than what we've already see for him. He's like Elton Brand in the sense that he came into the NBA VERY NBA-ready, but his ceiling isn't much higher than what he is already at. Why? If Durant scores more on better efficiency, is more capable of having huge scoring outbursts that can single-handedly win his team a game, is a better rebounder, a better defender AND is about 5 years younger that has shown more consistent improvements since he was drafted...what's the logic for taking Roy?

I disagree. I know you said he doesn't dominate statistically, but check this stat out- Last season, in 65 games, Roy scored over 30pts only 7x. To compare, in 82 games Durant had 47 games where he scored more than 30pts. That stat is a prime example of what I tried to get through in my first post that Roy is a great, smart and consistent ballplayer, but he just doesn't have the capablity to dominate and take over games on a consistent basis. Now let's compare Roy to a player who averaged almost identical numbers; Joe Johnson. In 76 games, Johnson had 11 games of 30+ points, and 12 games of 8+ assists (Roy had 5 games). We can go a bit further back and compare him to 2007-2008 T-Mac, who played 66 games and had 15 games of 30+ points, and 19 games of 8+ assists. Yet, if someone said either current $JJ or 07-08 T-Mac was better than Durant, they'd probably be considered delusional. It's just that people have a love affair with Roy and severely overrate his impact. He's a great player, but not on Durant's level.

Kobe said Roy is more difficult to guard because he's so polished and has it all in his arsenal. It's the same principle as to why people think Kobe would beat LeBron in a 1-on-1 scenario. With that said, Durant's the better player. Roy is more versatile (especially with his playmaking) and polished, but it doesn't translate to him being the more effective/dominant player. Durant is a 30PPG scorer who scores at incredible efficiency, capable of putting his team on his back night-in, night-out. Roy can give you a solid 20PPG with the occasional scoring outburst, 5-6 assists, and play smart, consistent basketball...but he just doesn't have the ability to dominate games nearly as often as Durant. And besides playmaking where Roy has a big edge, Durant is the better rebounder, probably a better defender already, and it's always nice to have a 6'10'' frame with a 7'5'' wingspan at the SF spot.

This was the first preseason game I've seen so far and it was actually getting a little intense out there. I think I agree with Reggie Miller in saying that House should start at PG. There really isn't anything Arroyo and Chalmers offer that really benefit the team playing alongside Wade/James/Bosh. House is still an elite 3pt shooter, gives them energy, and his IQ is underrated. He also has extensive experience playing with great teams, where as Chalmers and Arroyo don't. Also, there is no way Anthony should start. I really thought with more oppertunities for open looks and offensive rebounds that he'd at least be a servicable starter, but his Kwame Brown hands make him useless. Start Z, gain size, some rebounding and allow the offense to play 5-on-5 instead of 4-on-5.

When healthy... 1. Pau Gasol 2. Yao Ming 3. Tim Duncan 4. Al Jefferson 5. Dwight Howard (yes, his arsenal is still limited, but he's still ridiculously efficient and effective)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMgc9-hGWoc&feature=fvst

It has nothing to do with me liking or hating your post, that's irrelevant. It's just that you posted virtually the same thing every other post in that tax topic, it completely derailed the discussion, people started to not take anything you said seriously, and Brandon closed it as a result...yet you make an entirely new topic to continue on? If he closed the topic, what makes you think he wants to reply to this one? What makes you think ANYONE wants to continue on with it?

Again...REALLY?!? -_-

Yes, and for most people making the most of the cards they are dealt still doesn't get them anywhere close to being a millionaire. First off, watch your [expletive]ing mouth when discussing me on a personal level. Don't tell me what I am and am not doing when you don't know my situation. I never once brought myself into this discussion, so don't go there. Secondly, let's use an NBA analogy. 1 out of 30 teams every year win the championship. There are usually 3-4 teams that truly have a realistic shot based on talent, coaching, management, etc... Those teams may not even maximize what they have, but they still have the resources to win it regardless. Then you have the other teams...some severely underperform, some do as expected, and some truly max out what they have (I'm thinking Bucks from last year). But, even though they max out what they have given their resources, they still can't beat the teams with more talent, better coaching, etc... Now, in the real world, it's much the same. Some people have those resources to get rich. Most other people don't, and even though some of them are maxing out what they can do given their situation, it isn't anywhere close to netting them a million dollars.

You just still don't get it...damn. Stop trying to explain how to get rich, and start realizing that there are SOOOOOO many variables that come into play that can prevent one from even getting the oppertunity to run their own business. It goes way beyond desire as there are plenty of things in life that we can't control or foresee that can derail those desires (such as Brandon's eye, or my example of inner-city kids who never receive even a HS education and have to help support their families at an extremely young age, working dead-end jobs or turning to crime). There are so many things in life that you have little to no knowledge of that causes financial ruin, and it goes way beyond simple business economics. BTW, no one expects to become rich off 40-60K per year. They take that job to support themselves and their families as opposed to investing in business ventures in an economy that is eating small business alive.

My guess is pyramid scheme, as Lemon said.... Snake has done lost his damn mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnGDcvvBX5k For those that don't know, this is the song that started the famous LL Cool J/Canibus beef. Canibus' verse originally started with saying something along the lines of, "Yo LL, pass that mic on your arm" (referring to LL's microphone tattoo) and LL got all pissed off about it. Canibus changed his verse, but LL's verse is clearly geared towards dissing Canibus. Anyway, classic song nontheless. "I'm the illest [expletive]a alive, watch me prove it I'll snatch your crown with your head still attached to it Canibus is the type to fight for mic's Beating [expletive]az to death, then beating dead [expletive]az to life" ~Canibus So ill.

No depth? They have 3 top 15 players, one of the best 3pt shooters in the league in Miller (who happens to be one of the most well-rounded snipers), one of the best role players in the league in Haslem, another elite 3pt shooter in House, then solid role players in Z, Howard, Arroyo, Jones and Chalmers. The jury is still out on Anthony. In the playoffs teams generally run 8-9 man rotations, and they have at the very least 10 players that are very capable of playing decent post-season minutes. Not as deep as LA, but you don't really need to be when you are so top-heavy.

LMAO I just saw this....wow. Yep, words are gonna buy me new 24 inch rims on my Bentley, which sits in the garage of my mansion overlooking the Manhattan skyline...yep.

You are completely and utterly delusional. Hit me up in 20 years when you're making the average American salary, or in bankrupcy because you're business venture fell flat on its face like most businesses do. Then tell me the 'I think I can' mentality will turn the average Joe into a millionaire. (directed at Snake)

Pacers...fan? I didn't know they existed Seriously though, welcome and stay active!

If it was so easy to become rich, we'd have more than 2 million millionaires in this country. That is less than 1% of Americans. If you believe the other 99% of Americans don't have the "desire" to be millionaires, and a good chunk of them don't do their best to maximize what they are given, then you are a fool. Forget billionaires. There is only about 1K in the entire WORLD. Over 6 billion people, and only 1K are billionaires. Get over it.

Then that is one of the most naive, plain stupid points I have ever heard. I don't think it needs any explaination, either...you're just so short-sighted it's not even funny.

It really is absurd. To pinpoint just a few BILLIONAIRES who happened to drop out of college....keep in mind, Dell took the high school equivency test at EIGHT and Gates went to an exclusive high school and scored a 1590 out of 1600 on his SAT's before enrolling at HARVARD....is ridiculous. First off, we're not talking about the ridiculously wealthy billionaires. We are talking about approximately the 250K range, who supposedly aren't well-off enough to afford basic necesseties and some luxory even after taxes. Most of them are not business owners, and are a part of the working class in a high-paying field. MB's generalizations of both classes is absolutely disgusting, and while he does have impressive knowledge on the subject, he's wayyyyy overdoing the whole entrepreneur thing.

Most do. This is so disgustingly misguided it isn't even funny. The rich say to the government, "Why should we pay higher taxes than those making hundreds of thousands of dollars less than us?" and the poor say, "Why should we pay the same % in taxes as those who can fully support themselves and then some after taxes, when we are living paycheck to paycheck working 60+ hour weeks?" It's basic human behavior. If the government allowed the poor to be taxed more than the rich, the rich would be ecstatic and wouldn't cause a fuss. The government has to be the arbitrator and decide what benefits society as a whole, and considering the VAST majority of this country is poor/middle class, that is why they pump money into pensions and such. If the poor/middle class stayed broke and in debt, then our economy will continue to faulter because no one would be spending money, thus effectively bankrupting major business after major business like is currently happening. Without the working class, the millionaire CEO's would also be out of jobs. And stop generalizing the working class as people who don't want to put forth the effort. Many lower/middle class people don't have the means to acquire an Ivy League degree. Not because they don't want it, but because they don't have the financial capabilities. Many students have to drop out of high school to help support their family, and without education you get NOWHERE in life. So, those people are forced to work dead end jobs and live paycheck to paycheck. Another factor in the whole education thing is that many schools, especially those in the inner-cities, don't teach the kids how to make it on their own or have a long-term plan. They teach the subjects...poorly, might I add...but don't teach the kids how to move out of the ghetto and make a career for themselves. That is why crime is so prevelant, because you make what you get off your own power. They know the chances of making it out of the hood with such limited resources is so slim that they shoot for what they know they can profit off of anytime.

Thanks for the motivational speech, but it has nothing to do with the topic.

I think Eminem's style mechanically has changed dramatically. He has reinvented his flow/rhyme patterns/general mechanics 4 different times IMO...Infinite, SSLP, TES, and Recovery are all very, very different, and if it wasn't for his voice and actual content you'd think they were 4 different rappers on those albums. Personally, above all else I feel that is why you could make a strong case for him being the best lyracist. He's the only rapper I know that can truly rip it any style in that sense. As for Nas changing his style, I agree it may not always be what the fans want, but in general he has some real hidden gems on those albums people don't talk about. He's always evolving, both mechanically and musically, and I applaud at how he attacks serious cultural issues now that he's been off the streets for nearly 20 years. Well, when I think style I think of a few things- general rhyme mechanics, content, production and tone. And personally I thought Eminem was at his very best on the SSLP. It was just so unique and different, and he created so many visuals through the stories he told. He had some more serious stuff (like Rock Bottom), quirky stuff (like Brain Damage), and songs somewhere inbetween (Guilty Conscience). The production on that album was also AMAZING an fit his whole style/voice perfectly. That's my biggest issue with his new stuff...the choruses and production. Even though I wish he'd slow the pace down in many of his new songs (he just goes too quick sometimes, can't take in what he's expressing), and even though I question some of his content, his flow and lyrics are still top-notch. The production killed Recovery for me.

I say yes. On a sports forum I don't think an abundance of cursing will be a major issue, and I think for the most part the members here are *gasp* mature enough to handle it. I am sure there will be a few members who will go overboard with it if the censor is lifted, but they can be dealt with individually.