Spurs Update

Wednesday the San Antonio Spurs went to Sacramento to take on the Kings, and get some revenge for our 1st home L of the season. And for the first time in a LONG time, Pop had everyone available to play! Both teams would shoot very well out of the gate, and it appeared we would all be in for an great offensive show. Spurs had the lead most of the 1st-Q until DeMarcus Cousins' tip-in tied it up at 22 with 0:59 left, but Manu would score 5-straight to lead 27-22 after the first quarter.


Image Source (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Our lead would become 6 before Isaiah Thomas would create a few good shots to pull them close. Kawhi was a monster inside during this game, as he would net 7 in the 2nd-Q. 53-49 at the half. He would continue with 5 more quick points, but Thornton & Cousins seemed to counter most of our runs - even tying it up again at one point. More Manu magic to close out the third with the lead 81-78.

It seemed defenses never tightened, as the scoring fest continued for both squads. Gary Neal had 7 Spurs points in a row, and along with another Kawhi three, our lead was 7 at 93-86. A couple of uncharacteristic bad decisions on our end, and the Kings were within 1. For the next five minutes we would pretty much score every trip down the floor. Tony & Timmy showed off with the pick 'n' roll, and Manu, Kawhi, and Jack all-3 nailed some key tough shots to put us up 110-100 with 1:39 left. They'd make it interesting, but we closed them out for the solid WIN 117-112. Manu & Kawhi were HUGE in this game - here's the boxscore.

___________________________________________________________


After two full days of some much-needed rest, the Spurs welcomed George Hill and the Indiana Pacers to the AT&T Center Saturday night. Kudos to the home crowd for giving George a very nice welcome. I miss the guy, but I like having Kawhi Leonard even more. Wearing the all-white with red trim throwback "Chaps" uni's (including knee-high white socks), we came out looking very energetic. Duncan would score 6, and Manu 5 for our the 1st-Q lead of 25-18.

Image Source (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

It wouldn't be 2½ minutes until our lead was 12, as Jack & Tiago were very aggressive. Neal hit a three, then Green hit a three.. TP layed it in twice, and it seemed as if Manu couldn't miss. Timmy even had 7 2nd-Q points, as we set our season-high for a Q with 39, and the lead was 64-48.

Spurs would never have a bigger lead than 16. The pacers went on several runs to come within 9 twice, and even 7 at one point, but our shots continued to fall throughout. The Pacers even out-shot us for the game, percentage-wise (53%). But Spurs hit 9 of 19 from three, and 50% overall. We out-rebounded them 40-32, and our 22 assists on 39 FGs, and our 10 turnovers were both right on par.

It was clear Pop was determined to play Tony, Tim, and Manu together a lot tonight, and it was pretty! Several Duncan highlights seriously rolled-back the clock. He had another great game tonight. The other two spots were Jackson & Bonner, or Neal & Splitter for the most part. A lot of the younger guys got some good rest this time, in anticipation for an upcoming back-to-back no doubt, but this was a super team win. Sean Elliott mentioned that we won this game "with ease", for the most part. The 112-103 WIN was our 7th straight, as we have now gone 24-5 since Jan. 30. Here's the boxscore..

Two more sweet days of rest, and then Tuesday & Wednesday we're back-to-back at Cleveland and at Boston.

This is Gonna be Me in about 30 Years

Via / Source: Tucker

If You See it, Film it

Via / Source

Cat Colors & Patterns

Click to enlarge!                                                                       Source / Via - (NSFW)

If you can't get it large enough to read, simply click on "Source" under the image.

Whoops! Sorry 'bout That

Source

A Minute & 20 Seconds

Via / Source: Gary Varvel at the Indianapolis Star, and Creators Dot Com

Ohhhh My..

Source / Via - (NSFW)

Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab, Utah

CTE!                                                                                                     Via / Source

Park information..

Its Wikipedia Page - contains a super panorama image..

Google Maps Link..

More images of DHP State Park HERE, HERE, and of course HERE..

This Can't be Good

Via - (NSFW), and about 100 other places..

Spurs Update

Spurs @ Phoenix, 3/26/12

We begin a back-to-back tonight in the land of the Phoenix Suns. Patty Mills is finally in uniform, as is everyone else, except for Tiago Splitter. Jackson is apparently going to be held out for "rest". It's an odd decision in my opinion, but I'm not Pop.

So our big-3 are in full-force for the first time in a while, and it's a good thing. It's always a good thing. Timmy continues to turn back the clock with his play this season. He would score 11 of our first 13 out of the gates.. but Shannon Brown, starting in place of Grant Hill, also gets off to a HOT start. By the end of the 1st-Q, it's Shannon Brown 14 - Tim Duncan 13. (Spurs 29 - Suns 28).

Spurs would momentarily pull away, but Shannon Brown would not let up. Then Sebastian Telfair would follow Brown's lead, as he would go off for 12 straight
Image Source (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Suns' points in the 2nd. But Kawhi Leonard, Timmy & Tony would keep us ahead, despite some late Marcin Gortat heroics. Our lead was 5 at the half: 62-57.

Just as I was expecting Pop to pull some crazy personnel magic to begin the 3rd, it didn't happen, but Phoenix went on a 14-4 run instead. But now down 5, 71-66, Manu & Timmy would do what we do best - more pick 'n' roll, as each would score 7 over the next 4 minutes or so. But Gortat, Nash, and Brown got theirs as well.. 80-79 1:57 left in the 3rd-Q. Hakim Warrick would enter and score 6 straight for the Suns, but after an 84-83 lead after 3-Qs, Tony Parker would make 6 straight, and then a Boris Diaw jumper quickly gave us the 9-pt. 96-87 lead.

With 7 minutes to go Kawhi would nail a nice three.. and then a sweet defensive stop later, Timmy would lay it in from a Manu assist. 103-91, now. But too late for the Suns, foul mode began, and Tony made them pay. We finished off the WIN 107-100, and it's onto Sacramento later tonight. Timmy had a night to remember with 26 & 11, and Tony had 24 & 7 asst. But Manu & Kawhi had great games under the radar: 13-5-5 and 14-7 respectively. Wow our guys are kicking it!

Kudos to a career-high 32 for Shannon Brown, and a 21-14 game from Gortat, as Nash had 16 & 8. Good game guys!

Dokken - Mr. Scary (live)

Source

Here's the original recording.. George is one of the masters, and one of my all-time favorite guitarists. Maybe I should post a Dokken set.

The Media Today

Source / Via - (NSFW)

Offering

Via / Source

Communication

Via

Amazing Swedish Sunset

('shopped a bit)


Via                                                                                               Click to enlarge!

Here's the splendid original:




Source (Photo by John Aavitsland with permission)

Tiger Finally Wins!

Image Source (Photo by Phelan M. Ebenhack, AP)

Just in time for Augusta in a few weeks, Tiger finally manufactured 4 rounds good enough to grab a win - his first in 2½ years - at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando. He's won Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill event 7 times now, and appears to be back in the fold.

Click here for PGATour.com's complete leaderboard..

And here's the complete story, again courtesy of PGATour.com (with video)..

Note: I'm really not a Tiger Woods fan. For most of his career I've usually cheered for someone to beat him, simply because I was so against all the media attention he always drew. - (25% of the coverage was Tiger Woods, whether he was in the hunt or not, pulling much-needed publicity from weekly winners while he struggled from time-to-time.) - Not to mention his arrogance during every interview he ever gave.

No, no one in a long, long time has done what he has for the game of golf, I surely get that. But while he was dominating for so-o-o long, my "thing" was rooting for someone to step-up and challenge him. Phil, Freddie, Ernie, Vijay, you name him.

This win is huge for the golf world. It shows he's got his mind where it needs to be, and that he's brought his game back from the depths of no man's land. He also appears to have matured in the sense that he acknowledges the fact that he isn't God's gift to the game of golf (nor women), and he seems to have come a long way as a person the last few years.

Now once again I challenge the field: Are you paying attention?

Time to Water

Via

...and change your underwear.

Spurs Update

Saturday and Sunday nights finished off the Spurs' 1st back-to-back-to-back of the season. Saturday was a quick trip to New Orleans for a bout with the shorthanded Hornets. Spurs were also very shorthanded, as Manu didn't make the trip in order to rest an aching body. Splitter is still dealing with back spasms, and Gary Neal would also sit due to a sore foot from Friday night's game. Hornets were down Okafor (knee), Kaman (illness), Ariza (ankle), and Jason Smith due to his suspension related to the cheap shot against Blake Griffin.

The good news is Tony Parker is back. I expected this to be the game somewhat like the game @ Portland a few weeks back (a 40-pt. loss), when Pop sat Tony & Tim while Manu & Splitter were hurt. But to my surprise, Duncan would also play. The contest began OK for the Spurs, as DeJuan Blair came out like a monster possessed, but then again, he tends to have good games vs. NO. He would total 23 & 7 for this one. It remained close throughout the first half, but we trailed by a handful for most of the late 2nd-Q. Up by 1 after 1-Q, but down by 1 at half.. 23-22, and 48-47 respectively.

Image Source (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)

Neither team were shot very well throughout, in fact Spurs finished with a lowly 2 of 19 from three range (ouch!), and totaled 40% overall. Hornets did better at 46%, but was 1 of 5 from three. And if it weren't for 16 NO TO's (compared with our 7), this one would've probably been much worse.

Defenses tightened up for the 4th-Q, and only 30 total points were scored. We would take a 5-pt. lead with 5 min.s to go, but Belinelli would give the Hornets the 84-83 lead with 2:06 left. Duncan would hit two clutch FTs before Belinelli put them ahead once again 86-85. But after Duncan made a tip-in (87-86), followed by a great defensive stop on Jarrett Jack (who led all scorers with 27), it was Danny Green's clutch baseline jumper that put us ahead 87-84. Green would then miss the only two FTs the Spurs would miss all night in an attempt to seal it, giving the Hornets the last shot with :02 left. It was defended well, and Belinelli came up short - we snuck out of the hive with the 89-86 WIN. Whew!

_______________________________________________________________


Sunday night back at home vs. the Philadelphia 76ers, Manu would return to the lineup, but Timmy would sit. With Tiago & Neal both still out, we would obviously have to "go small" for most of this one. Here is the way NBA.com described Timmy's absence in their boxscore:

So, I guess as long as they don't play Hawes & Vucevic together, we should be OK. Holiday and Meeks came out hot, combining for 12 of the first 16 Sixers' points. Kawhi and Bonner were, however, making their presence known as well, as we jumped out to a 29-22 1st-Q lead.
Image Source

Heck, newly acquired PG Justin Dentmon even scored his first Spurs' points for the home crowd early on.

After falling behind 29-18 late in the 1st-Q, the Sixers would then go on an 18-1 run to take the lead 36-30. Sam Young and Lou Williams were key contributors. This sparked a 10-0 run of our own, led by 6 from Blair, and a three from Danny Green. The score at the half was 52-49, San Antonio.

In comparison with the previous game in New Orleans, this contest saw 26 steals and 39 turnovers! So obviously play looked a little sloppy, but both these teams are super on defense. Nevertheless, it was mid-3rd-Q when we turned on the gas. Tony & Manu came to life, while rarely playing together. We started sharing the basketball better, and ran out to an 11-pt. lead after 3-Qs (76-65). We didn't stop, though. A lot of the scoring "wave" was tempered, but we kept the pressure on defensively to the tone of a 21-pt. lead with just under 6 min. left (88-67). SO yeah, that's another 20-4 run since late third-Q.

They would close to within 14, but didn't have enough, as we held on for the impressive 93-76 WIN against the team who allows the fewest points per game in the NBA. Six guys in double-figures.. Responded to the terrible 3-pt. shooting the night
Image Source (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

before by hitting 7 (of 28, so more work to do), and we hung with them on the boards. Kawhi Leonard had a super game with 11 points and 10 boards. Tony had 21 & 7 assists, and Blair had 19 & 6 boards..

Yeah we just went W-W-W in 3 nights, like only 4 teams have done during this compacted season! Spurs have now won 7 of 8, improving to a 33-14 record, still 2nd in the West, 2 losses behind the Thunder. Now we have to go on the road again to Phoenix & Sacramento back-to-back Tues. & Wed. to complete our 5 games in 6 days (and 6 in 8), before coming home for some rest and a meeting with a good Indiana team (and George Hill) Saturday.

Ozzy Osbourne - The Ultimate Sin

Source

Can't You Read?

Via / Source

I Miss Spuds MacKenzie

Via

Ahh Touché

Via